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Donnie Walsh Archive

EMPIRE BUILDER: KNICKS GET T-MAC, CAP RELIEF

By
theOCD
Published: 19 February 2010 3:11 PM ESTPosted in: NBA

If you didn’t already know, the Knicks made some major moves at the trade deadline. The three deals give them a lot more flexibility for a run at free agents during the offseason. Here are the three trades that went down:

  • DARKO MILICIC TO MINNESOTA FOR BRIAN CARDINAL
  • NATE ROBINSON AND MARCUS LANDRY TO BOSTON FOR EDDIE HOUSE, J.R. GIDDENS AND BILL WALKER
  • JORDAN HILL, JARED JEFFRIES, OPTION TO SWAP 1ST ROUND PICK IN 2011 (TOP 1 PROTECTION), 2012 1ST ROUND PICK (TOP 5 PROTECTION), AND LARRY HUGHES TO HOUSTON/SACRAMENTO FOR TRACY MCGRADY, SERGIO RODRIGUEZ

You have to give Donnie Walsh credit here. While it may not be the absolutely ideal scenario, he managed to unload a ton of salary obligations. Here’s analysis of the moves via KnickerBlogger:

But these are the facts, and they are undisputed: The Knicks, even by the most pessimistic cap projections, will have $32 million in cap space next year. The Knicks have retained David Lee, who can be used in a sign-and-trade this summer. The Knicks have retained Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler, the two players who most fans feared would have to be sacrificed to unload Jared Jeffries contract. And the Knicks will enter next season, no matter the free agent machinations, with Eddy Curry’s $11 million dollar expiring contract, allowing them to either make a mid-season trade or add another very good player in the summer of 2011. Make no mistake, the Knicks paid dearly to get here, and if they strike out in free agency, the lost draft picks could haunt them for a decade.

The $32 million of cap space for 2010 is gigantic. That will allow the Knicks to sign up to two max free agents. At the same time, having David Lee and acquiring Tracy McGrady provides flexibility. Even if the Knicks do strike out in free agency, they can probably retain those two players and hope to deal Eddy Curry for value in 2011. McGrady has already expressed interest in staying in New York. We’ll just have to wait and see what Donnie does next.

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SIR CHARLES SEZ DONNIE’S A DUNCE

By
theOCD
Published: 27 October 2009 10:23 AM EDTPosted in: NBA

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Charles Barkley likes to speak his mind. Typically, he takes a comical approach to his comments and he can be off-color. Sir Charles had some unkind words for Donnie Walsh and the Knicks. But they weren’t funny because they were offensive. They were offensive because they were ridiculously obvious.

Chuck isn’t a fan of Donnie Walsh’s plan to reload in 2010 with a new core of players. To facilitate that move, half of the fourteen players on the Knicks’ roster will be free agents next year. Here’s what the TNT analyst had to say about the Knickerbockers:

“When you set up yourself by basically saying, ‘We’re going to (stink) for the next two or three years,’ I don’t think there is any way that can be good for your team. They’re not going to win because those guys know they’re not going to be here next year. To expect them to give 110% is unrealistic.”

First of all, the Knicks are going to stink no matter what the rebuilding plan is. Second, isn’t it always unrealistic to ask somebody to give 110%? And where was Sir Charles during the whole “Isiah” era? Did he not have criticism for Team President Isiah Thomas, General Manager Isiah Thomas, or Head Coach Isiah Thomas?

Kidding aside, he does have a point. The Knicks will never be successful if half of the team knows they’re going to be wearing a different uniform the following season. Though Donnie Walsh did structure the contracts of Nate Robinson and David Lee so that they receive bonuses if the Knicks make the playoffs. There isn’t really a solution here since extending the Knicks crappy players would probably make them worse. For that reason, Walsh has opted to chase the chicken rather than the egg.

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DAVID LEE RETURNS FROM FANTASYLAND, RE-SIGNS

By
theOCD
Published: 25 September 2009 6:19 AM EDTPosted in: NBA

Wizards Knicks Basketball

The David Lee and Nate Robinson saga came to an end this week. Lee’s agent had been seeking upwards of $11 million per year but the parties signed a deal for $7 million with a $1 million playoff bonus. It was pretty obvious that Lee wasn’t going to get what he was asking for. The Knicks only had to make a qualifying offer of $2.6 million. At the same time, it was clear that his contract would affect Nate Robinson’s deal. On Wednesday, Nate also reported signed a deal for an amount above his qualifying offer of $2.9 million. I guess we can all stop hating David Lee, Nate Robinson, and Donnie Walsh for now.

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KNICKS WON’T ROLL THE DICE ON J-WILL

By
theOCD
Published: 05 August 2009 9:54 PM EDTPosted in: NBA

The Knicks worked out point guard Jason Williams on Tuesday but it is reported that they won’t make him an offer. The Knicks have exclusive rights to negotiate with Williams until Thursday. This means that the Knicks are in serious negotiations with Ramon Sessions who is seeking a full mid-level exception deal. However, Sessions only has a qualifying offer from the Bucks at the moment. It’ll be interesting to see how the situation plays out as the Knicks may add two players from the group of Sessions, Nate Robinson, and David Lee.

williams-jason-080302-392

Via Sun Sentinel:

Jason Williams began his comeback to the NBA in the seclusion of the Knicks practice facility in Greenburgh Tuesday morning. The veteran guard, who stepped away from the game last season for family reasons, worked out for the Knicks to show that his 33-year-old body is still up for the rigors of the NBA grind. But both came away fairly certain they probably won’t have a future together.

The Knicks have until Thursday to negotiate exclusively with Williams, but likely will not make an offer. Williams is expected to begin talking to other teams at that point, with the Memphis Grizzlies among the teams interested. One person came away from Williams’ workout Tuesday saying he “looked good” and that he was “in great shape.”

Williams spent 10 seasons in the NBA before retiring last September, less than two months after signing with the Los Angeles Clippers. He said he retired because his wife had complications during her pregnancy.

He could be a cheap option for the Knicks, who have been seeking point guard help. They lost out on Jason Kidd when he re-signed with Dallas, and have been considering Milwaukee’s Ramon Sessions and former Indiana guard Jamaal Tinsley.

But the focal point right now remains Sessions, who is seeking a full mid-level exception offer sheet (five years, $33.9 million) from the Knicks. Donnie Walsh, who, along with Mike D’Antoni is very interested in Sessions, doesn’t think he should throw that much money at the 23-year-old.

No other offers have been made to Sessions – only a qualifying offer from Milwaukee is on the table – so Walsh could be negotiating against himself.

It is believed the offer sheet needs only to be above about $3 million per season to avoid having it matched by the Bucks, who appear ready to move forward with first-round pick Brandon Jennings.

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NATE THE GREAT CONTINUES TO WAIT

By
theOCD
Published: 05 August 2009 11:15 AM EDTPosted in: NBA

Nate Robinson still has no idea where he’ll be playing basketball next year. Recent reports indicated that he had an offer from a Greek team and that the Knicks were going to re-sign him. At this point, Nate still hasn’t budged from his free agent status. The Knicks are also exploring Jason Williams as a cheap replacement for Nate — making it seem as if the Knicks have decided to wait him out. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Knicks are low-balling Nate with a backup plan of signing J-Will and inking David Lee using some of those savings.

davis-lee-nate-robinson

Via FanHouse:

SEATTLE — After dropping 35 points in a local all-star game and winning a 3-point contest shooting left-handed in a searing Garfield High School gym, Knicks guard Nate Robinson had no answers regarding his professional whereabouts in a few months.

Robinson, a restricted free agent, has yet to agree to a contract next season with New York, leaving him uncertain of his future just two months before training camp begins. Robinson received a two-year offer from the Greek club Olympiakos but remains unsigned.

Coming off a career-best 17.2 points per game in 2008-09 and another dunk contest crown, Robinson would appear to a marketable player.

But he is a man without a team for now.

“I don’t even know, I’m just waiting,” he said Sunday when asked if he would sign with Olympiakos. “I’m just basically waiting, that’s all I can do right now. I am just waiting, just taking my time and being patient.”

Robinson said he hasn’t talked with Olympiakos swingman Josh Childress, who left the Atlanta Hawks to sign before last season. He is returning for a second season.

When asked his preference, Greece or the NBA, Robinson said: “I just want to play basketball.”

With Portland guard Brandon Roy watching from the sideline, Robinson and Jamal Crawford led the Rainier Beach Alumni over the Garfield alums 130-123.

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KNICKS ENTHRALLED WITH JAMAAL (TINSLEY)?

By
theOCD
Published: 28 July 2009 6:50 PM EDTPosted in: NBA

The Knicks are set to speak with Jamaal Tinsley this week. While not as sexy as a Ramon Sessions signing, Tinsley would be a more-than-adequate addition to the Knicks. Yes, he has off-court issues and can be a turnover machine. But he’s also a good distributor and can hit threes, if needed. Tinsley is from New York, so perhaps that would have some added incentive to perform well.

Tinsley may be a better option than Ramon Sessions. He was bought out by the Pacers and, as previously mentioned, he’s from New York. So Tinsley might accept a lesser contract to play in New York since he’d be coming home and will already be cashing checks from an NBA team. At the same time, Ramon Sessions’ one-dimensional style is somewhat troubling. When he’s not dishing, he’s not doing much else. He doesn’t board or shoot particularly well and he’s only hit NINE threes in a little over a season in the NBA. His career APG is also 6.0 compared to Tinsley’s 7.0. If the Knicks don’t have to break the bank, Sessions is a great option. However, Tinsley could be a better bargain.  Plus, I would do anything to hear Walt Frazier say “entralled with Jamaal” (or Jamal) again.

Via New York Daily News:

The Knicks will meet with free agent point guard Jamaal Tinsley, according to a source. Tinsley, banished by the Indiana Pacers last season for disciplinary reasons – he recently reached a settlement with the team – is scheduled to meet with president Donnie Walsh and coach Mike D’Antoni at some point this week.

The Knicks failed to land free agent point guards Jason Kidd and Andre Miller this month and the feeling is that Tinsley is a cheaper, and more experienced, alternative to Milwaukee restricted free agent Ramon Sessions. D’Antoni has been pushing for Sessions. Walsh acquired Tinsley, who attended Tilden High School in Brooklyn, on draft day in 2001 when Walsh ran the Pacers.

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NATE & D-LEE’S LUNCH DATE TO DECIDE FATE

By
theOCD
Published: 23 July 2009 7:40 AM EDTPosted in: NBA

Sources say that the Knicks two young players feel “disrespected” by the Knicks’ (lack of) effort to resign them.  Here’s the tweet from Domi-Nate:

Cid_nate-nyc_billboard_normalnate_robinson: and ill be have n lunch wit my boy david lee to talk about our future with the knicks,this should be an interesting lunch, hope we stay n ny
11 minutes ago from web · Reply · View Tweet

The good news is that Nate’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, said he’s confident that the two sides can reach a deal.  A source expects Robinson to sign a deal worth between $4-5 million per year.  That’s very close to the offer the he reportedly received from Olympiakos.  David Lee’s agent has requested around $12 million per year for his client.  I wonder if Nate is trying to convince D-Lee to stay in town for less money.

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Dear Donnie, What Will You Do to Save the Knicks?

By
John
Published: 30 June 2009 7:14 PM EDTPosted in: Featured Articles, NBA, New York Sports, Spotlight

At the time that I write this, we are on the brink of July 1st and the NBA’s 2009 Free Agent period. This is a very important stage for Donnie Walsh as the president of the New York Knicks. After a relatively successful first year, I believe that along with the upcoming free agent period there are 4 key phases upcoming for Donnie’s presidency that will make or break his legacy as the Knicks head honcho. As a fan myself, I must say that I am rooting for the hometown product Walsh to succeed. To greatly succeed, even. However, if Donnie Walsh falters in one or more of these phases, he will just be another name on the long list of failed “Knicks Saviors” Though I don’t imagine it will be anything close to the disaster of epic proportions known as the Isiah Thomas regime, but that story is for another (already written by many people) article. These are the areas in which “Donnie Basketball” needs to succeed in order to rescue this lost franchise.

Just for good measure

Just for good measure

READ THE FULL POST »

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