Tom Thibodeau fired pt 2

[sol537]

Any tsunami offer we have involves KAT or Brunson. Anything else just completely depletes us.

It would be incredible if the Knicks slow played a long series of solid, cap minded moves for years just to punk us with a mindless all-in starphuck that leaves us without a direction, depth, or draft capital all over again.

Gotcha! We're still dumbasses.

Mikal, OG, Deuce, and some of the kids along with the WAS 1st, two pick swaps, five 2nd rounders, and maybe one more future 1st if our ability to trade it opens up after draft day. That’s what I’m thinking and then Mikal/OG probably go to a 3rd and 4th team (MEM, HOU, PHX) to get MIl younger players and a load of additional picks.

[nykballa2k4]

IMO Knicks need to stop making drastic changes to the roster. They need to build on what they have and add a 6th man spark plug type of guy. Getting rid of OG and KAT gets rid of your best defensive guy and 2nd best offensive guy in one swoop Giannis is a great player, but I don't think it's worth it.

Plus why would we need to trade that much salary? KAT & Giannis have almost the same cap annual cap hits.

Plus it's ANOTHER guy that can't hit free throws. We can't afford another.

I mean, there are many iterations of it. OG and KAT to me gets us to the value that I would want if I was the Bucks also because it gets rid of Kuzma. KAT by himself gets you into the playoffs in the East (unless he gets hurt) and as long as you put 4 defenders around him (the no Brunson minutes) your team has no real ceiling.
Of course he is best as a 4 not a 5, but they already have Portis/Sims who can hold down the 5.

Then for us, it's about making sure Hart, Giannis, and Mitch are not all on the court together. In my mind we already have Donte back so:
Mitch/Huk (maybe Horford?)
Giannis/Precious/Kuzma
Bridges/Hart/McCullar
Donte/Shamet
Brunson/Payne

Assuming we have traded away OG, KAT, Kolek, Pac.

Yes there is many variables to what ends up being what you end up having to give up in a trade. Lets say instead in a turn of events we pull off Kidd as coach, Bridges makes it clear he would extend here , Giannis wants now to come to NY and we ending up trading OG as part of the package but keep KAT.

Knicks outgoing salaries:
OG (39.6M)
Hart (19.4M)
Mitch (12.9M)
Dadiet (2.8M)
Kolek (2.2M)
PJ Tucker (3.5M)
Total=80.4M

Bucks outgoing slaries:
GIannis (57.6M)
Kuzma (21.8M)
Total=79.4

Milwaukee's roster is bare. Just look at it here. They would probably keep a lot of the players we send in the trade:
https://hoopshype.com/salaries/milwaukee_bucks/

A third team would probably need to be involved for the balancing part as the CBA allows it to work easier with a third team involved when one/both teams are over the 1st Apron. They would send out or take on a small contract and receive minor compensation for it. (Like the Hornets did in the KAT for Randle/DDV trade)

Knicks 2025/26 line-up:

KAT/Huk/Giannis
Giannis/Precious/Kuzma
Bridges/Kuzma/MLE/McCullar
McBride/Shamet/Wright/MLE
Brunson/Wright

Kuzma becomes the ultimate 6th man which is a role he is probably better suited for. MLE can be a ring chaser willing to come on a lower salary (Beasley, Oubre who is CAA, Horford, etc.)


Knicks 2025/26 line-up (if it's Oubre for MLE):

Rotation:
KAT/Huk/Giannis
Giannis/Precious/Kuzma
Bridges/Kuzma/Oubre/McCullar
McBride/Oubre/Shamet/Wright
Brunson/Wright

I mean, I don't think that get's it done and if you are trading for Kidd, then we have to add in the Mavs compensation as well...

[MrDollarBills]

Any tsunami offer we have involves KAT or Brunson. Anything else just completely depletes us.

It would be incredible if the Knicks slow played a long series of solid, cap minded moves for years just to punk us with a mindless all-in starphuck that leaves us without a direction, depth, or draft capital all over again.

Gotcha! We're still dumbasses.

Giannis/OG/Mikal/Deuce/Brunson?

[GONYK]

Any tsunami offer we have involves KAT or Brunson. Anything else just completely depletes us.

It would be incredible if the Knicks slow played a long series of solid, cap minded moves for years just to punk us with a mindless all-in starphuck that leaves us without a direction, depth, or draft capital all over again.

Gotcha! We're still dumbasses.

Giannis/OG/Mikal/Deuce/Brunson?

BKE says they aren't trading KAT

[Fury]

Any tsunami offer we have involves KAT or Brunson. Anything else just completely depletes us.

It would be incredible if the Knicks slow played a long series of solid, cap minded moves for years just to punk us with a mindless all-in starphuck that leaves us without a direction, depth, or draft capital all over again.

Gotcha! We're still dumbasses.

Mikal, OG, Deuce, and some of the kids along with the WAS 1st, two pick swaps, five 2nd rounders, and maybe one more future 1st if our ability to trade it opens up after draft day. That’s what I’m thinking and then Mikal/OG probably go to a 3rd and 4th team (MEM, HOU, PHX) to get MIl younger players and a load of additional picks.

The lineup we're left with would be ass

[HerSports85]

BKE was right about EVERYTHING

[GONYK]

Any tsunami offer we have involves KAT or Brunson. Anything else just completely depletes us.

It would be incredible if the Knicks slow played a long series of solid, cap minded moves for years just to punk us with a mindless all-in starphuck that leaves us without a direction, depth, or draft capital all over again.

Gotcha! We're still dumbasses.

Mikal, OG, Deuce, and some of the kids along with the WAS 1st, two pick swaps, five 2nd rounders, and maybe one more future 1st if our ability to trade it opens up after draft day. That’s what I’m thinking and then Mikal/OG probably go to a 3rd and 4th team (MEM, HOU, PHX) to get MIl younger players and a load of additional picks.

The lineup we're left is would be ass

You need more than 4 players to win a ring?

[Capn'O]

Any tsunami offer we have involves KAT or Brunson. Anything else just completely depletes us.

It would be incredible if the Knicks slow played a long series of solid, cap minded moves for years just to punk us with a mindless all-in starphuck that leaves us without a direction, depth, or draft capital all over again.

Gotcha! We're still dumbasses.

It kind of started already last summer if we’re being honest

You're more sour on last summer than I am but I can acknowledge that last summer put us on the precipice of doing very very stupid things.

[gavran]

Leon Zeke Thomas

[Fury]

Yeah, if w'ere trading for Giannis, we have to include KAT. Makes no sense otherwise.

[GONYK]

I personally don't see any path to Giannis that doesn't involve KAT.

But let's say it happens somehow.

I don't see any path to Giannis that leaves us a better team overall unless we have every ring chaser in the league ready to sign for the minimum.

[god shammgod]

Any tsunami offer we have involves KAT or Brunson. Anything else just completely depletes us.

It would be incredible if the Knicks slow played a long series of solid, cap minded moves for years just to punk us with a mindless all-in starphuck that leaves us without a direction, depth, or draft capital all over again.

Gotcha! We're still dumbasses.

It kind of started already last summer if we’re being honest

You're more sour on last summer than I am but I can acknowledge that last summer put us on the precipice of doing very very stupid things.

It was definitely a move away from the cautious measured approach

[MrDollarBills]

Any tsunami offer we have involves KAT or Brunson. Anything else just completely depletes us.

It would be incredible if the Knicks slow played a long series of solid, cap minded moves for years just to punk us with a mindless all-in starphuck that leaves us without a direction, depth, or draft capital all over again.

Gotcha! We're still dumbasses.

Giannis/OG/Mikal/Deuce/Brunson?

BKE says they aren't trading KAT

Then it has to be OG, Mitch and one of the rookies going out. Not sure how that is a tsunami offer.

[nykballa2k4]

Reading that the FO may be catering to Brunson doesn't sound all that great to me if true.

Not that they shouldn't care what Brunson thinks, but the last thing this club needs is a coach who just hands him the keys without coaching up his game as a floor general.

What a player wants or prefers is not necessarily what is good for the team or that player themself.

If they are/were catering to JB, then Thibs would still be here. Thibs basically had JB's dad as a top assistant. Can't get more player friendly than that.

Counter argument is that Kidd coached Brunson some in Dallas and Brunson was willing to play off the ball.

Counter Counter argument is that the Knicks don't have anyone for Brunson to play off of here. This Knicks team isn't exactly littered with creative scorer/creator types.

Counter1 - JB left, in part, to pursue the bigger role. Not saying that he won't like playing for Kidd, have not heard anything negative, but generally guys are not looking for their ex. Even Towns was pressing it last season...

Counter2 - At the moment we have Towns. Plenty of teams over time have thrived with a big man and guard pairing. Shaq/Kobe. Shaq/Wade. Duncan/Manu(or Parker). Jokic/Murray. You could also argue Steph/KD.
OG, Bridges, Deuce, Shamet all can contribute on offense to varied degrees.

[KnixinSix]

Any tsunami offer we have involves KAT or Brunson. Anything else just completely depletes us.

It would be incredible if the Knicks slow played a long series of solid, cap minded moves for years just to punk us with a mindless all-in starphuck that leaves us without a direction, depth, or draft capital all over again.

Gotcha! We're still dumbasses.

Giannis/OG/Mikal/Deuce/Brunson?

BKE says they aren't trading KAT

It does feel like KAT would need to be involved but maybe he somehow isn't with the Headliner being OG and/or Bridges. There are ways to make it financially work with any of those guys.

[Fury]

Giannis/OG/Mikal/Deuce/Brunson?

BKE says they aren't trading KAT

It does feel like KAT would need to be involved but maybe he somehow isn't with the Headliner being OG and/or Bridges. There are ways to make it financially work with any of those guys.

You can make it financially work but what are you left with? It doesn't make sense. The remaining pieces are Brunson, KAT, and like a bunch of bench fodder or guys who don't fit (ex. Hart).

[MrDollarBills]

Giannis/Brunson/KAT/Mikal as a core isn't bad at all but MLE and vet mins are all that's left.

[god shammgod]

to make a competitive offer the knicks would probably have to trade kat and one of mikal/og to 3rd teams who would send young players picks to the bucks. hard to see that working out. too many moving parts.

[KnixinSix]

I personally don't see any path to Giannis that doesn't involve KAT.

But let's say it happens somehow.

I don't see any path to Giannis that leaves us a better team overall unless we have every ring chaser in the league ready to sign for the minimum.

Ive detailed a number of scenarios in the T&T thread that absolutely make us a better team.

[gavran]

Giannis/OG/Mikal/Deuce/Brunson?

BKE says they aren't trading KAT

Then it has to be OG, Mitch and one of the rookies going out. Not sure how that is a tsunami offer.

Because after the tsunami, the Knicks's roster will look like Indonesia on January 1st, 2005.