# Knicks May Still Get Rubio....



## TwinkieFoot (Jul 8, 2006)

> As the news came out this morning from our friends at Draft Express, that Ricky Rubio was upset at the way the NBA draft lottery turned out, a rumor quickly followed behind that the Memphis Grizzlies would look to trade the pick rather than use it themselves. While Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace has been openly interested in Rubio, we're being told that the Grizzlies would rather have the $3 million they'd likely get from a team looking to move up, as well as a slightly lower pick.


[URL="http://http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=12721"/URL]

We got $3 million, we got a slightly lower pick and we also have assets the Grizzlies would be interested in like Nate Robinson. Get it done, Donnie. 

P.S., I recall a rumor being circulated a few days ago that the Grizzlies would have liked to select Stephen Curry before the positions were made. Steph is definitely going to be available at our pick, so we can make this work if that is the case.


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## urwhatueati8god (May 27, 2003)

I'm sure they'd want David Lee in a deal, and as far as I'm concerned they can have him. I can't see why they'd be interested in Nate Robinson unless they're trying to use stardom to get people into the seats or they intend on shopping one or two of their guards for a center.


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## TwinkieFoot (Jul 8, 2006)

urwhatueati8god said:


> I'm sure they'd want David Lee in a deal, and as far as I'm concerned they can have him. I can't see why they'd be interested in Nate Robinson unless they're trying to use stardom to get people into the seats or they intend on shopping one or two of their guards for a center.


I'm not opposed to moving David Lee but I would definitely be hesitant to include him in addition to our draft pick just to move up. There would have to be someone or something in addition to the draft pick to entice me to do it, like a Darko Milicic.


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## alphaorange (Jul 2, 2006)

Rubio..Curry..Flynn..Lawson...What really matters is that we end up with a starter after this draft is over. I mean without losing one, of course.


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## urwhatueati8god (May 27, 2003)

TwinkieFoot said:


> I'm not opposed to moving David Lee but I would definitely be hesitant to include him in addition to our draft pick just to move up. There would have to be someone or something in addition to the draft pick to entice me to do it, like a Darko Milicic.


If we are indeed trading for Darko Milicic, it's likely Memphis's dream come true. They don't want him since they already have Gasol and his contract is so heavy. It only goes through the end of next season though, so it wouldn't effect the salary situation for 2010.


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## TwinkieFoot (Jul 8, 2006)

Would this work for all teams?

*Knicks Trade (to PHO/MEM):*
David Lee (sign and trade)...PF
Wilson Chandler...SF
Nate Robinson...PG


*Knicks Recieve:*
2nd pick
Marko Jaric...G/F
Darko Milicic...F/C
Matt Barnes...SF

*Suns Trade:*
Amare Stoudamire...F/C
Matt Barnes...SF

*Suns Recieve:*
Rudy Gay...SF
David Lee...F/C


*Grizzlies Trade:*
Rudy Gay...SF
Marko Jaric...G/F
Darko Milicic...F/C
2nd pick

*Grizzlies Recieve:*
Amare Stoudamire...F/C
Wilson Chandler...SF
Nate Robinson...PG


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## alphaorange (Jul 2, 2006)

*I actually like that but*

Nate would also have to be a sign and trade AND both he and Lee would have to be traded with their agreement that close to the draft (5 days after?). I cannot see Nate ever agreeing to Memphis, I mean, who the hell would? Its a college Bball town.


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## urwhatueati8god (May 27, 2003)

I cannot see Memphis agreeing to that at all. They are forcing away all contracts like the plague. I don't think they'd want Stoudemire.


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

Their GM Wallace was interested when the Suns offered Amare for a package of Gay/Conley/Warrick before the trade deadline. Memphis' owner turned it down.

And any trade ideas involving PHX/NY is unlikely to happen with D'Antoni there btw. Suns are not going to do him any favors.


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## alphaorange (Jul 2, 2006)

*Thats ridiculous*

Business is business. If you help yourself, that's what matters. Making things personal is for losers. These guys are to sharp for that. Stockholders have to be answered to.


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## urwhatueati8god (May 27, 2003)

*Re: Thats ridiculous*



alphaorange said:


> Business is business. If you help yourself, that's what matters. Making things personal is for losers. These guys are to sharp for that. Stockholders have to be answered to.


Steve Kerr has proven himself to be a loser G.M. though...


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## TwinkieFoot (Jul 8, 2006)

urwhatueati8god said:


> I cannot see Memphis agreeing to that at all. They are forcing away all contracts like the plague. I don't think they'd want Stoudemire.


They are doing so because those contracts are attached to mediocre/subpar role players like Marko Jaric and Greg Buckner or players that don't fit like Darko Milicic. A guy like Amare is much more than serviceable, is a fit and brings in revenue by putting people in the stands.


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## TwinkieFoot (Jul 8, 2006)

Organized Chaos said:


> Their GM Wallace was interested when the Suns offered Amare for a package of Gay/Conley/Warrick before the trade deadline. Memphis' owner turned it down.
> 
> And any trade ideas involving PHX/NY is unlikely to happen with D'Antoni there btw. Suns are not going to do him any favors.


In my opinion, that was a lot to give up for Amare who was injuried and is not a terribly impressive player beyond dunking the ball. A lot has changed since then, however. For starters, Gay has looked apparently much more of a pain in the *** on the floor (based on my own observation but it seems like teammates hate him). With OJ showing that he is more than capable of being a scorer, I think Gay becomes expendable for a player or players who can compliment him better....enter Amare, Chandler and Robinson for bench scoring. 

Beyond Gay (who I think is something of a problem in that environment), they give up little else of consequence. Ricky Rubio does not want to go to Memphis and they Lionel Hollins has gotten Conley Jr. to play well. Beyond Blake and Rubio, there is a significant drop-off in talent so why hold onto the pick?

As for the NY/Pho thing, business is business; if the Suns could put their team in a better situation through a deal with New York, they will do it. I don't understand why they would hold any anonymosity toward D'Antoni considering that he put them back onto the map AND since they were the ones who wanted him gone.


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## TwinkieFoot (Jul 8, 2006)

*Re: Thats ridiculous*



urwhatueati8god said:


> Steve Kerr has proven himself to be a loser G.M. though...


The Suns team on paper is significantly better than the one he had inherited. His major problem is that he got rid of D'Antoni, who knew how to coach this team. Beyond that, what moves has Kerr made that has made this team worse? Jason Richardson was something of a steal in my opinion. Matt Barnes, Louis Amundson and Grant Hill were excellent signings. Shaq is much more of a relevant player than Shawn Marion right now and provides the team with better defensive grit. Robin Lopez was a pretty solid draft pick and IMO on par with his brother Brook when given minutes; And even though Dragic has not played up to expectations, I think he'll be solid with more experience. Kerr is simply reasonable for personnel and from the looks of it, he's done a bang up job.


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## TwinkieFoot (Jul 8, 2006)

*Re: I actually like that but*



alphaorange said:


> Nate would also have to be a sign and trade AND both he and Lee would have to be traded with their agreement that close to the draft (5 days after?). I cannot see Nate ever agreeing to Memphis, I mean, who the hell would? Its a college Bball town.


I think you bring up a legitimate beef about Nate that I had not previously considered. He's clearly very self-absorbed and knows that he stands to make much more of a name for himself in a big market city like New York. With that being said, I could see this being something of a problem in this deal. Aside from any deal that would put him in a Northwest city close to his hometown in Seattle, I don't see Nate accepting a deal anywhere that isn't a major market. 

The Grizzlies, however, were reportedly interested in Stephen Curry, so we could substitute our 8th pick for Robinson in the deal. I have to admit though, I much rather hold onto that draft pick than Robinson and I think Walsh is in the same boat with respect to the 2010 plan and all.


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

TwinkieFoot said:


> In my opinion, that was a lot to give up for Amare who was injuried and is not a terribly impressive player beyond dunking the ball. A lot has changed since then, however. For starters, Gay has looked apparently much more of a pain in the *** on the floor (based on my own observation but it seems like teammates hate him). With OJ showing that he is more than capable of being a scorer, I think Gay becomes expendable for a player or players who can compliment him better....enter Amare, Chandler and Robinson for bench scoring.
> 
> Beyond Gay (who I think is something of a problem in that environment), they give up little else of consequence. Ricky Rubio does not want to go to Memphis and they Lionel Hollins has gotten Conley Jr. to play well. Beyond Blake and Rubio, there is a significant drop-off in talent so why hold onto the pick?
> 
> ...


Amare wasn't injured when that deal offered. He got hurt a week or two later in a freak play after the trade deadline. And you must've missed Amare last few yrs. His jumpshot is almost automatic now. This yr, it seemed like he was relegated to it more with Shaq being the focus and clogging up the lane. 

At that time, if they had to deal him, I would've done it for Gay, Warrick and Lowry and some other pieces. Instead of Conley (not that high on him). Still a better deal than Chicago's offer or anyone else then. But they didn't feel they had to move him. Though I'm glad it didn't happen now.

I'm just going by what I have heard that there is anonymosity there. Kerr almost hired Tom Thibodeau the yr Boston hired him and a Spurs assistant but D'Antoni balked at it and went with the inexperienced guy in Jay Humpries. Despite that a yr later, they would have brought him back had he wanted to stay. D'Antoni didn't like Kerr's suggestions about focusing on defense more and found it "meddlesome" over the yr and in that last meeting. It just seems unlikely to me, but hey, you're right, business is business and if they if there's a deal they like they might forget it all.


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## urwhatueati8god (May 27, 2003)

*Re: Thats ridiculous*



TwinkieFoot said:


> The Suns team on paper is significantly better than the one he had inherited. His major problem is that he got rid of D'Antoni, who knew how to coach this team. Beyond that, what moves has Kerr made that has made this team worse? Jason Richardson was something of a steal in my opinion. Matt Barnes, Louis Amundson and Grant Hill were excellent signings. Shaq is much more of a relevant player than Shawn Marion right now and provides the team with better defensive grit. Robin Lopez was a pretty solid draft pick and IMO on par with his brother Brook when given minutes; And even though Dragic has not played up to expectations, I think he'll be solid with more experience. Kerr is simply reasonable for personnel and from the looks of it, he's done a bang up job.


He took a team that was old and made it older and slower in an N.B.A. which has recently been more and more conducive to fast paced play while trading for awful contracts that cost them any flexibility for a number of years to come. Jason Richardson's contract is horrible and long and just generally way to much for a team's fourth option to be making barring that fourth option being a second tier option on a good team. Richardson is no better than a third option on a bad team as seen with the Bobcats and to an extent the Warriors. He ostracized nearly every member of personnel including the team itself and left the majority of the team bitter towards management and holding out come re-signing time.


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## USSKittyHawk (Jul 22, 2005)

> The Knicks - who are owned by Cablevision, which also owns Newsday - are a long shot to make such a deal with Memphis, *however, because the best they can do is dangle Cuttino Mobley's contract as an incentive for the cash-strapped franchise. The Knicks could take back a contract from the Grizzlies for Mobley's deal, of which 80 percent is covered because he retired with to a heart condition. The Grizzlies, who are getting the cold shoulder from Spaniard Ricky Rubio, would save some money and move into the Knicks' spot at No. 8.*
> 
> 
> The Knicks may be keeping a close watch on the situation surrounding the No. 2 pick because of Rubio, who will be in the United States this weekend to conduct workouts. But the Knicks also might have an interest in 7-3 center Hasheem Thabeet from UConn. Walsh considers the Knicks' lack of size and shot-blocking a major issue and a void that Thabeet would fill.


http://www.newsday.com/sports/basketball/knicks/ny-spknix1012861396jun09,0,2638806.story


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## bball2223 (Jul 21, 2006)

I'll believe it when I see it, but Rubio or Thabeet would be amazing for this team.


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## Kiyaman2 (May 31, 2009)

I never understood where this thread was leading to with Rubio (by breaking NBA rules of trading RFA on draft night), and all the responses has lead the direction of this thread to baffling players who only give up half their talents on court b/c they dont like their situation. 

The most baffling part of this thread is mentioning the Phoenix Suns Organization which at one time sports writers and announcers kept saying, "management, coach, and players were all on the same-page". What a joke! 
Shawn Matrix Marion was the leadership of that organization success...


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## alphaorange (Jul 2, 2006)

*Breaking no rules...*

"(2) A player and his Team may amend a Player Contract (including by entering into an Extension) pursuant to an agreement between such Team and another Team concerning the signing of the amendment and subsequent trade of the amended Contract; provided, however, that no such agreement may be made during the period from the last day of the last Regular Season covered by the Contract (or the last day of any Regular Season that could be the last Regular Season covered by the Contract based upon the exercise or non-exercise of an Option or ETO) through the following June 30." 

Teams can make a tentative agreement and formalize it after 6/30.


As far as Marion, his performance after being traded suggests something different than what you posted. It looks more and more like he was a product of the system. The Suns did better without him than he did without the Suns.


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