Tim, DAD, and I had an email exchange earlier today in which we discussed the rumors that the Knicks were looking to acquire Tracy McGrady from Houston in a three-way-deal that would also Caron Butler to Houston and Al Harrington to New York.
While I understand why Houston would want Butler and why the Wizards would take Harrington, this deal makes no sense to me from the Knicks’ perspective. Yes, McGrady has a huge expiring contract, but so does Harrington. As has been repeatedly reported, unless the Knicks move Jared Jeffries and Eddy Curry, they won’t have enough money in the off-season to sign two max contract guys…
Which is essentially the only plan Donnie Walsh has put forward since he was brought in as GM.
“Wait until 2010…” he whispered to the fan base. “We will suck until then, but LeBron is coming.”
In the meantime, Donnie would rid the franchise of some terrible, long contracts that Isiah Thomas had burdened them with during his tenure. He’d free up enough money to sign not just LeBron but also Chris Bosh. And maybe he’d even find a way to bring in Dwyane Wade, too. Donnie would be Jesus, coming down off the cross, resurrected to become the savior of New York City, the “mecca of basketball.”
Well, some fucked up things happened along the way.
The salary cap dropped (it’s still dropping).
The Cleveland Cavaliers got really, really good.
The Knicks continued to suck.
Oh sure, Donnie moved Jamal Crawford and Zach Randolph - both of whom were then traded again (to ATL and MEM) - and are now having an impact on teams with far better records than the Knicks. But he hasn’t been able to deal Curry and Jeffries. He had a trade in place to move up to the 5 spot in last year’s draft, but he passed - why bother, neither of the two players Walsh coveted, Ricky Rubio and Stephen Curry, would be available then - oh wait, they actually were. He then chose Jordan Hill instead of Brandon Jennings (and actually Hill has been more productive so far than Jennings - but that pick just looks bad … and in NYC that counts). Then he refused to give David Lee and Nate Robinson anything more than one year deals, alienating both guys so that he could keep the plan in place.
Gotta have as much cap room as possible in place for the summer of 2010, after all.
Since LeBron and Chris Bosh would definitely want to come and play for a team that literally has only 6 players under contract (4 if Curry and Jeffries can be moved). Wouldn’t it be fun to fill out the roster with minimum salary guys? Isn’t that how you win championships? Two superstars and 10 scrubs?
What I’m driving at is one thing:
Donnie Walsh sold New York City and Knicks fans everywhere a dream.
He created an excuse to suck for multiple years.
And then he proceeded to watch his team suck.
While the Great D’Antonio coached for a ridiculous amount of money, a little more, of course, than he could have had in Chicago when the Bulls offered him a job.
And when 2010 comes and the Knicks sign nothing but a second tier free agent - Amar’e Stoudemire, I see you - maybe he’ll be able to sell the fans and the rest of the organization on the dream of 2011.
You know, when Carmelo Anthony becomes a free agent.
How long until Kevin Durant is available? I’m sure he won’t be able to stand playing in that puny Oklahoma City market for long. Can’t make money there.
Picture Walsh saying these words and lighting a cigar … and spending lots of time in April, May, and June on a yacht somewhere.
Goodnight, New York.
