Knicks emerge as front runners for Jamal Crawford?

[Grover]

Wait it out, see if the still to be augmented collection of bench/role players can hack it, and have Melo convince JR Rider and Kenyan Martin to sign on for the championship run when their seasons are done in China. Rider can at least hang with Wade and Martin can add some nastiness and rebounding when Amare covers the pivot while Chandler is out or has five fouls. No to the bum that was appropriately named Crawful.

[ctorres]

We don't have anything outside of 2 years, $5 million to offer Crawford. Why would Crawford sign for that?!

We have no trade pieces to send either. We got nothing. This reeks of fake hustle.

[gavran]

Wait it out, see if the still to be augmented collection of bench/role players can hack it, and have Melo convince JR Rider and Kenyan Martin to sign on for the championship run when their seasons are done in China. Rider can at least hang with Wade and Martin can add some nastiness and rebounding when Amare covers the pivot while Chandler is out or has five fouls. No to the bum that was appropriately named Crawful.

LOL, I thought you called JR SMITH JR Rider to be ironic, but I guess not. You HONESTLY want him over Crawford. That's just sad.

[Jstarks3]

JR Rider?! wow you fail. `

[moocow007]

My 2 p's on this...

1. The Knicks are built for right now and as such need proven players more so than "could be" players (unless it's so obvious that the could be player will be). I like Douglas as a player, but the hard part is that he has not proven he can handle the role that he will need to handle on this team as it stands. Nor is it so obvious that he could very soon if ever. As I've said before, the Knicks need a starting caliber PG and that player is currently not on the team. So wanting to keep Douglas over Crawford because he's more of a PG has somewhat limited implications (since Douglas himself is insufficient in the role the Knicks will need from him).

2. Which moves us to the role of combo guard and 6th man...which...IMO is the position both Douglas and Crawford are both best suited for. For a team that may still be in the developing stages, I would tend to lean towards Douglas. While I dont believe Douglas is a starting player I do think he can improve and become a better player than he is right now in the role he would best fit (backup combo guard). For a team, however, who is expecting to win now, for the role that would be played (again not as a starter, certainly not at PG)...Crawford would be the better option. He is the more proven player, the more experienced player and tbh the more talented player.

So for the Knicks, if it comes down to which one of the two for the combo guard "slash" 6th man role? Crawford is the better option for this team.

Yes obviously everyone is scared to death of Crawfords defense compared to Douglas. Absolutely, that is a clear drop in this swap but again the role is what we need to look at here. Were talking as a 6th man on a team that is about the here and now, not the maybe in a few years...on a team that still is centered around offense (and no I dont think Amare and Carmelo as the only proven shot creators is enough). For that Crawford absolutely even with the defensive drop.

As far as Crawford the low IQ player argument? Honestly I think that's overblown.

Now by no means am I a Crawford fan or am I jumping up and down at the news of him possibly returning to the team but once things are put into perspective and the over reactions are gotten over with and we realize the role and marry it with where this team is at, Crawford over Douglas as the 6th Man[\b] for [b]this team makes sense.

As a side note, I would guess that the Knicks see Shumpert as a player that they can utilize in a defensive role right away and that his presence on the roster mitigates the biggest (only?) advantage Douglas has over Crawford.

[NoMoreThrees]

on a team that is about the here and now, not the maybe in a few years...

and we realize the role and marry it with where this team is at, Crawfo

i cut this out cause it prove a point i try to make. i think lot of fans are stuck in the were a 20 win team and need to develop youth bit. we cant sit and wait for shumperts or harrelson or dougie or jordan to turn into good players. or not. we dont have time. we got like a four year window here. we are going into full on vet players get the minutes mode. if shumps harrelson jordan play its cause we arent done adding players to the championship run. or by chance one ends up being david lee or tayshan prince out of the box. this team is about winning. you win with vets. rooks wont get burn unless they really really deserve it. and thats fine. fans need to switch to the win now mode too. this isnt about giving shumperts everything he need to turn into an nba player years from now. its about winning. if that mean shumperts rots then thats what happen.

[moocow007]

on a team that is about the here and now, not the maybe in a few years...

and we realize the role and marry it with where this team is at, Crawfo

i cut this out cause it prove a point i try to make. i think lot of fans are stuck in the were a 20 win team and need to develop youth bit. we cant sit and wait for shumperts or harrelson or dougie or jordan to turn into good players. or not. we dont have time. we got like a four year window here. we are going into full on vet players get the minutes mode. if shumps harrelson jordan play its cause we arent done adding players to the championship run. or by chance one ends up being david lee or tayshan prince out of the box. this team is about winning. you win with vets. rooks wont get burn unless they really really deserve it. and thats fine. fans need to switch to the win now mode too. this isnt about giving shumperts everything he need to turn into an nba player years from now. its about winning. if that mean shumperts rots then thats what happen.

I hear you but it's got nothing to do with Shumpert. Really don't get the unnecessary hate you have for the guy. Shumperts presence on the roster would actually help lessen the impact on the defensive end of losing Douglas. Not because Shumpert is a superstar or a starter but because he should be able to come off the bench and provide some of the defensive responsibilities that Douglas had...as a role player. Not a starting superstar that you keep ridiculing him to be for some odd reason.

[Thorn]

Now I know Isiah is back for sure.

This is cringe-inducing.

Yep, I would throw the hell up. Screw Crawford, seriously. He is best as a 6th man off the bench when you don't need to rely on him if he is missing his chuckin feast he usually fosters on the crowd. No love for the dude and his jacked up face.

[bigfnjoe96]

Hollinger is claiming we still have both our exceptions, since Chandler was a S&T.

The Knicks will have this cap space once and only once. It behooved them to use it on the best player who would take their money. Moreover, using it on a center -- the most expensive position -- made all kinds of sense. Guards are dramatically less expensive; you can get good ones using the midlevel exception. So the Knicks will more than happily use that exception each of the next three years. ...

... and this one! Because in a nice bit of cap management, the Knicks set this up as a sign-and-trade, meaning they never signed a free agent using cap space and thus retain all their exceptions.

Could this be true. I know Hollinger is not the most credible. Thoughts CAPologist

[Jstarks3]

Now I know Isiah is back for sure.

This is cringe-inducing.

Yep, I would throw the hell up. Screw Crawford, seriously. He is best as a 6th man off the bench when you don't need to rely on him if he is missing his chuckin feast he usually fosters on the crowd. No love for the dude and his jacked up face.

[Christophersp10]

Hollinger is claiming we still have both our exceptions, since Chandler was a S&T.

The Knicks will have this cap space once and only once. It behooved them to use it on the best player who would take their money. Moreover, using it on a center -- the most expensive position -- made all kinds of sense. Guards are dramatically less expensive; you can get good ones using the midlevel exception. So the Knicks will more than happily use that exception each of the next three years. ...

... and this one! Because in a nice bit of cap management, the Knicks set this up as a sign-and-trade, meaning they never signed a free agent using cap space and thus retain all their exceptions.

Could this be true. I know Hollinger is not the most credible. Thoughts CAPologist

didn't he come out later and said that he was wrong?

[bigfnjoe96]

Hollinger is claiming we still have both our exceptions, since Chandler was a S&T.

The Knicks will have this cap space once and only once. It behooved them to use it on the best player who would take their money. Moreover, using it on a center -- the most expensive position -- made all kinds of sense. Guards are dramatically less expensive; you can get good ones using the midlevel exception. So the Knicks will more than happily use that exception each of the next three years. ...

... and this one! Because in a nice bit of cap management, the Knicks set this up as a sign-and-trade, meaning they never signed a free agent using cap space and thus retain all their exceptions.

Could this be true. I know Hollinger is not the most credible. Thoughts CAPologist

didn't he come out later and said that he was wrong?

Not sure. Do you have a link thanks

Sent from my Awesome Phone

[Gregory151]

Hollinger is claiming we still have both our exceptions, since Chandler was a S&T.

The Knicks will have this cap space once and only once. It behooved them to use it on the best player who would take their money. Moreover, using it on a center -- the most expensive position -- made all kinds of sense. Guards are dramatically less expensive; you can get good ones using the midlevel exception. So the Knicks will more than happily use that exception each of the next three years. ...

... and this one! Because in a nice bit of cap management, the Knicks set this up as a sign-and-trade, meaning they never signed a free agent using cap space and thus retain all their exceptions.

Could this be true. I know Hollinger is not the most credible. Thoughts CAPologist

didn't he come out later and said that he was wrong?

yeah i believe so

[Gregory151]

Marc Berman @NYPost_Berman
Told #Knicks and Hawks working on 3-team deal for Jamal Crawford with Douglas involved in one scenario

[Knckles]

**** Crawford if we want a SG we should look at OJ Mayo.

[sol537]

noooooooooo!!

I guess if we get Barea, I can live with Crawful as a 6th man type. OK, get me Barea, Craw and Williams and let's get to work.

[Christophersp10]

Looks like the Knicks are looking at getting Barea and then wanting more size in the back court with Crawford.

Give me the Crawford of 2010. 45 percent field goal and 38 percent 3p shooting.

[Pharmcat]

berman has been spot on

crawford as a 6th man with barea and shump starting seems interesting....but i dont think barea is coming now

[BasicBall]

If NY comes away with Jamal, Tyson and Barea, how can that be anything but a successful off-season? And if Chicago gets Dwight for a package that would have to include Joakim, WOW. Dwight and DRose? WOW

[sol537]

berman has been spot on

crawford as a 6th man with barea and shump starting seems interesting....but i dont think barea is coming now

It would be Fields and Barea starting most likely with Shump/Bibby and Crawford off the bench, assuming all goes down. Lock up Williams as well and we'll have a squad able to compete with anyone for the next few years.