Knicks Help Lakers Get Melo

[ecuhus1981]

***EDIT: I forgot to mention, the Lakers need to use part of the Vujacic TPE to acquire Turiaf. That's why it doesn't work in TradeChecker.***

Trade ID# 5829795

Denver Trade Breakdown
Incoming Players: Ron Artest, Shannon Brown, Theo Ratliff, Eddy Curry, Anthony Randolph, '13 1st, '15 1st
Outgoing Players: Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Al Harrington, Shelden Williams, Gary Forbes
DEN gets under the cap, while retooling with youth assets and athletic defenders.
Lawson, Afflalo, Artest, Martin, Nene
Brown, Smith, Randolph, Andersen


LA Lakers Trade Breakdown
Incoming Players: Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams, Ronny Turiaf, Kelenna Azubuike
Outgoing Players: Andrew Bynum, Ron Artest, Steve Blake, Shannon Brown, Theo Ratliff, '13 1st, '15 1st
LAL adds starpower on the perimeter, and toughness inside.
Billups, Bryant, Anthony, Odom, Gasol
Fisher, Azubuike, Barnes, Williams, Turiaf


New York Trade Breakdown
Incoming Players: Al Harrington, Gary Forbes, Andrew Bynum, Steve Blake
Outgoing Players: Eddy Curry, Ronny Turiaf, Anthony Randolph, Kelenna Azubuike
NYK absorbs salary to compete with the East's elite.
Felton, Chandler, Gallinari, Stoudemire, Bynum
Blake, Douglas, Fields, Harrington, Mozgov

[frozt]

why would the knicks...

why would they help the...

why wouldn't they just wait until...

never mind, this trade is just dumb, i won't even bother answering why.

[Dr Aki]

so the knicks think andrew bynum is a better bet than carmelo anthony?

lakers won't say no. especially given the upgrade at PG as well

[The Rebel]

Why would the Nuggets include the Knicks to take the best pieces and leave them with crap? If the Nuggets were to decide to deal with the Lakers, they would want whatever big they can get, especially since that has been their weakness for the last several years.

[gman10z]

This is awful

[ecuhus1981]

Why would the Nuggets include the Knicks to take the best pieces and leave them with crap? If the Nuggets were to decide to deal with the Lakers, they would want whatever big they can get, especially since that has been their weakness for the last several years.

From what we have seen from recent Melo overtures, the Nuggets are more interesting in bigman PROSPECTS, as opposed to bigmen already on big salaries. They actually seem more interested in Fields, who's signed for two more years at a rookie minimum salary, then Chandler, the better player who's going to be a RFA at the end of the season. That's also why they've turned down bigger salary guys like Iguodala and Wallace, and I don't think they would take on the financial risk of Bynum, either. Artest is someone they pursued in the past, and provides quality defense and efficient scoring (when he has the ball in his hands) at an MLE pricetag. Exchanging Harrington for Randolph furthers the financial benefit.

As to why NYK would do this, the Knicks' FO has already stated that they will not let Chandler leave as a FA, so it seems they are committed to him. They also have said that they are seeking depth at the C and PG spots, to take some burden off of STAT and Felton. Blake and Bynum provide that, while keeping all of their starters. Taking on Big Al is not a big price to pay, as he's excelled in D'Antoni's offense.

[moocow007]

Every day this drags on closer to free agency is another day that works to the Knicks advantage in the Melo sweepstakes.

However IF Melo's camp came to the table and said that Melo will only go to the Lakers (because he can't leave that money on the table and the Nuggets simply refuse to trade him to NY) then yes, this would be something to consider for NY.

Haven't been following Bynum and the Lakers so not sure how healthy he looks or how good he's doing but obviously his health is important since his contract is no joke.

Obviously and again NY would prefer Melo but Bynum (especially in this scenario) gives them either a C with the skills that probably will fit in SSOL -OR- another trade asset (assuming his health appears solid) for a future move.

So yeah, assuming Melo isn't going to leave the money on the table and the Nuggets refuse to trade him to NY (and are interested in the package you propose) AND Bynum's knees look like they're fine then sure, I would think the Knicks would do this.

[NoLayupRule]

Bynum is so overrated it terrifies me about the NBA fans' IQ

hes injured often and benefits from playing with Gasol and Kobe so much

[ecuhus1981]

Every day this drags on closer to free agency is another day that works to the Knicks advantage in the Melo sweepstakes.

However IF Melo's camp came to the table and said that Melo will only go to the Lakers (because he can't leave that money on the table and the Nuggets simply refuse to trade him to NY) then yes, this would be something to consider for NY.

Haven't been following Bynum and the Lakers so not sure how healthy he looks or how good he's doing but obviously his health is important since his contract is no joke.

Obviously and again NY would prefer Melo but Bynum (especially in this scenario) gives them either a C with the skills that probably will fit in SSOL -OR- another trade asset (assuming his health appears solid) for a future move.

So yeah, assuming Melo isn't going to leave the money on the table and the Nuggets refuse to trade him to NY (and are interested in the package you propose) AND Bynum's knees look like they're fine then sure, I would think the Knicks would do this.

moocow007, I really appreciate the thought you've put into this response.

[ecuhus1981]

Bynum is so overrated it terrifies me about the NBA fans' IQ

hes injured often and benefits from playing with Gasol and Kobe so much

For a guy that proffers the IQ argument, NLR, you surely aren't showing much.

Andrew Bynum beasted before Pau was on the team, and has played well with and without Kobe on the floor. If anything, he's in need of a new environment where he can have a larger role in the offense, because that's when he excels.

[magnumt]

***MODS: feel free to merge this with a Trade Thread, if you have on on this board. I didn't see one.***

Hey all, Nets/Mavs fan here (I'm mostly a Trades and Transactions board guy, though). I came up with a trade idea that I think would be beneficial to all parties. Let me know what you think:

Knicks Help Melo to Lakers

I know that many NYK fans want Melo, but your front office seems to be sending a different message. Denver is determined to recoup value for their superstar, and Carmelo wants to sing that extension before the new CBA takes effect, which could limit his earning potential. NYK has offered Fields and Randolph in order to extend Anthony, and the Nuggets seem nonplussed by that proposal. Also, Walsh has stated that he will match all offers for Wilson Chandler this summer, and will not let him go. This doesn't necessarily mean that they won't pursue Melo, but it seems that their FA money is promised elsewhere. Meanwhile, D'Antoni says that the Knicks need support at PG and C (which this deal gives).

Bottom line: would NYK help Carmelo go elsewhere? If in doing so they could add a 23yo skilled C and quality bench support without trading any of their current starters, I think so, but I need our input. Oh, and please reply in the linked thread. Thanks.

The Trades you propose are Isiah Thomas type deals.

NY won't absorb Salary of mediocre Players or Injured ones and blow their chance at Melo or another 2011/2012 top FA to pair with Amar'e, Felton, and Gallo/Fields.

Bynum (healthy) would make this Trade palatable, but the guy simply can't stay healthy (in fact he makes Okafur look like an Iron-Man ).

On to of that, NY also absorbs the MLE deals of Al Harrington (who wasn't a great fit here as a Starter), and Steve Blake (who would be a great backup to Felton, but NOT at that price).

Both of those guys (Harrington & Blake) are now backups on MLE deals that run about 5 more Years. On top of all of that, NY doesn't even get some 1st Rounders out of the deal.

NY can do better by keeping those pieces and waiting until the Off-Season.

--Mags

[ecuhus1981]

NY can do better by keeping those pieces and waiting until the Off-Season.

By "those pieces", you mean Ronny Turiaf and Anthony Randolph? Because Eddy and Kelenna will be off of your books this offseason.

The Knicks have $42 in committed '11 salary, BEFORE you account for the $9mil QO that NYK will almost certainly make. The salary cap is $56mil this season, and stands to drop after the new CBA is put into place. New York will have less than MLE capspace if they offer Wilson the QO, and only $10mil or so if they let Chandler walk, after you account for roster holds. Sure, $10mil is enough for you or I, but Carmelo is the only guy in FA that would make losing Chandler AND not taking this deal worthwhile. Melo has looked like a strong NYK lean IF he makes it to the offseason un-extended, but even then, other teams can offer him 50% more in salary than New York. If the Knicks

Even IF you hit a home run on the best-case scenario, and you get Melo, are

Anthony, Turiaf and Randolph

better than

Chandler, Bynum, Harrington and Blake?

I know it's a superstar league, but the 23yo Chandler could be a top-8 SF if he continues to flourish under D'Antoni. That's not a far cry from Melo territory. On top of that, you need a defensive anchor if you're going to win it all. The 23yo Bynum provides that. I just think the best move that NYK can make is to build on top of the core pieces they already have, which this deal does. Either trading for Melo or letting Wilson walk to get Melo doesn't allow that.

[rasta_marley]

Love how new york gives up nothing of value while the other 2 teams do, and it is great how denver gets comlpete crap, I'm sure this is realistc!

[Rockazoids]

This is a lot of money to take on for Bynum. They don't need Harrington with Shawne Williams
playing better. Also what happen to Bill Walker & Shawne on the depth charts? Cut? traded?
gone to the rest room? On the real NY could do a lot better than use $10 M on a backup
PF & PG for 2-3 years just in the hope Bynum can play over 60 games per year.
http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/21 ... _Sore_Knee

[ecuhus1981]

Love how new york gives up nothing of value while the other 2 teams do, and it is great how denver gets comlpete crap, I'm sure this is realistc!

This is a lot of money to take on for Bynum. They don't need Harrington with Shawne Williams playing better. Also what happen to Bill Walker & Shawne on the depth charts?

I want to juxtapose these two comments, and underscore that despite their dissimilarity, neither of them are really "wrong".

r_m, "nothing" might be a bit extreme; Turiaf is a quality backup, and Randolph still holds value for his perceived potential. NYK acts as a foil for DEN and accepts alot of long-term salary. Good players, but DEN needs a 3rd team to shift salary onto, and the Knicks play an important role here.

I understand your hesitance, Rock. But let's be real: the reason Shawne and Bill aren't with Dallas and Boston anymore is that if you need either of them in your regular rotation, you probably aren't contending for anything. They're nice deep bench guys, for now at least. A 2nd unit consisting of Blake, Douglas, Fields, Harrington and Mozgov is one of the better ones in the league, precisely what NYK will need if they have aspirations of gettign to the EC Finals. It's a risk, I'll grant you that, but a worthwhile one.

[City of Trees]

Kings fans find where u live and burn it down... whyyyyyyyyyy????? hahaha

[Norm2953]

I've always thought a Bynum for Melo deal was possible for LA would not ask Melo
to sign a new deal trusting he would not be able to turn down LA and being a part
of a big 3 with Kobe and Pau and playing alongside of his best friend in the league
in Kobe.

[ecuhus1981]

Kings fans find where u live and burn it down... whyyyyyyyyyy????? hahaha

OK, I've got to ask... why in the world does SAC care one way or another?

[City of Trees]

Kings fans find where u live and burn it down... whyyyyyyyyyy????? hahaha

OK, I've got to ask... why in the world does SAC care one way or another?

Because u just deliverd Melo to LA... despite the kings having no success past several years our hatred passion for the lakers still burns strong!!! damn you Robert HORRY!

[old rem]

Bynum is so overrated it terrifies me about the NBA fans' IQ

hes injured often and benefits from playing with Gasol and Kobe so much

For a guy that proffers the IQ argument, NLR, you surely aren't showing much.

Andrew Bynum beasted before Pau was on the team, and has played well with and without Kobe on the floor. If anything, he's in need of a new environment where he can have a larger role in the offense, because that's when he excels.

If anything he's in need of new knees that can move his considerable size around for the next 5-10 years
I'm perplexed about how the Lakers somehow wind up with so many other assets. When the dust settles, Denver gets no more,and probably less than they might have got from NY. Most of what they do get...are Knicks. Why Billups,Forbes and Shelden Williams are 'tossed in" I can't figure.

It also seems NY has wanted Melo and if Melo still wants to be a Knick he can do so on his terms. It would seem Denver does not want to extend the Kobe era and Laker dominence in the West. In this they do just that.