seren wrote:GONYK wrote:The Dolans took over in '94. Jimmy was given the reigns in '99 I think.
And drafting a franchise player isn't "The Presti Model". Teams have been doing that for as long as there has been a draft. It's just a method of building your team, and it is just as risky as building through trades or FA.
In the former, you bank on potential, which can have a very high bust factor.
In the latter, you are buying a known entity, but it costs you more.
I gotta disagree about "as risky" part. For one, the financial commitment is very different given rookie contracts. When Amare doesn't work out, you have a 20 million per waste on your salary cap guaranteed over many years. When a rookie doesn't work, it is a minimal contract with only the first two years that stays on your cap.
There is an easy out when the rookie doesn't work. Worst case, you suck for another year but with flexibility. When the veteran doesn't work, you suck for many years with very little flexibility.
True, but then you can easily get on the same treadmill that the Bulls and Clippers were on, and that Houston is on now.
At some point, flexibility has to be cashed in for a known entity.
Your point is that if we invest in Amare, and that investment doesn't pan out, then we are on the hook for more. Fair enough, but then the issue becomes the player you choose to invest in, not the fact that you invested. When you sign a FA, by and large, you know what you are getting. That, in and of itself, is worth a certain premium. On top of that, the ability for established stars to attract other established stars has value as well.
I get what you are saying about the Bird Rights, and that certainly has it's own substantial value, but that comes at the cost of time, dependence on luck, and the risk of lost investment in a player that didn't pan out.
The problem with the Knicks isn't that we built through FA. The problem is the loss of our picks that could have provided supplemental talent and possibly a surprise star along the way. Hopefully, that changes going forward, and we keep our picks.