# Knicks sign Mutumbo..



## walkon4 (Mar 28, 2003)

Whats up guys

Here is the review of the recent acquisition of Deke in the Big Apple:
ESPN.COM
____________________
NEW YORK -- Dikembe Mutombo signed a contract with the New York Knicks on Thursday, two days after he accepted a buyout and was waived by the New Jersey Nets.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"Adding a shot blocker and rebounder of Dikembe's caliber to our team dramatically improves key areas that we were looking to upgrade," Knicks president and GM Scott Layden said on Thursday. "His basketball resume is so impressive that having the chance to add him to our club was something we were not going to pass up. In addition to his superior skills on the court, Dikembe is a role model that all of young players will look up to and learn from."

The Knicks were the worst shot-blocking team in the NBA last season when they missed the playoffs for the second straight season.

Kurt Thomas, a natural power forward, has been the Knicks' starting center for most of the past two seasons.

Mutombo played in only 24 games last season because of a wrist injury that required surgery around Thanksgiving. The 37-year-old did not return to action until late in the regular season and was sitting on the bench for most of the playoffs.

Mutombo, 7-2, 261-pounds, is the NBA's sixth all-time shot blocker with 2,873 rejections and is the only player in history to be named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year four-times (1995, 1997, 1998, 2001). He was named to the All-NBA second team in 2001 and the third team in 1998 and 2002. A three-time NBA All-Defensive first team selection and three-time second team selection, Mutombo ranks first in blocked shots among active players. 

"I know Dikembe very well through the years and there is no question he'll fit right into our system and thrive," coach Don Chaney said. "There aren't many players in NBA history that can change the course of a game as much as he does."

The Nets, currently for sale, cited financial concerns in announcing the buyout of the final two years of Mutombo's contract, which had $37 million remaining on it. Mutombo's chances of playing more this season diminished with Jason Collins and Aaron Williams returning and Alonzo Mourning, Mutombo's teammate at Georgetown, signing with New Jersey as a free agent.

Mourning criticized the move Sunday, saying it showed the two-time defending Eastern Conference champions were more interested in money than in winning a championship.

Mutombo averaged 5.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.54 blocks last season. He appeared in 10 playoff games, including six NBA Finals games versus the San Antonio Spurs, to average 10.3 minutes and record totals of 10 points and 17 rebounds.

__________
My question is what are they going to do with Lampe with Deke???

peace


----------



## CP26 (May 8, 2003)

Yeah, what about Lampe? He would have fitted in perfect with Toronto.


----------



## "Matt!" (Jul 24, 2002)

What about Lampe? The Knicks were going to force Lampe to play out of his natural position, which is either a KVH-like SF, or a Nowitski-like PF. He's not a center, he was pegged to play there because the Knicks needed some depth.


----------



## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

Knicks put off rebuilding again.


----------



## Locke (Jun 16, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Jemel Irief</b>!
> Knicks put off rebuilding again.


Yep. Guess they feel they've gotta keep sellin those tickets.


----------



## ToddMacCulloch11 (May 31, 2003)

How many big men do the knicks have now? I think they'd be better off playing the young guys rather than bring in mutumbo.


----------



## Jmonty580 (Jun 20, 2003)

We dont really need to rebuild like some think we do. We dont need to tank season after season trying to get more and more young players. Right now we are set at every position except for the pg spot and hopefully Williams can develop into a solid starter for us. 

However I am worried that our rookies wont get much pt. Kurt Thomas and ward arent going to be trade to GS for NVE, the warriors already said thats out, so now Sweetney is going to be burried on the bench. Deke will probably start a center and kurt thomas will probably start at pf because McDyess wont be ready to start the season. backing thomas is spoon and harrington and then sweetney. Lampe might get some pt backing deke if they dont give the time to Doleac over lampe. 

When McDyess returns I think thomas will back up deke at the 5 and now McDyess will be backed thomas also and spoon would probably be the first big man off of the bench other than Kurt who will probably cover two positions to make the team more competeive more often. If the knicks get into foul trouble we could see lampe back up at the 5 and maybe sweetney back up at the four IF they give him the go over Harrington. 

The Knicks managment wants to make the playoffs and get as far as possibile so that they can make some money, so they're not worried about developing the rookies.


----------



## reHEATed (Jun 29, 2003)

This move does put the Knicks in the playoffs this year. Ill give the Knicks credit, they want to make the playoffs and will accomplish that, but this move does not help long term


----------



## Pinball (Aug 3, 2002)

If McDyess actually plays this year I think the Knicks have a shot at being decent. They have an enormous frontline and some good shooters. My only concern with them is that they are probably the least athletic team in the league. That wasn't a concern 3-4 years ago but the Eastern Conference is becoming much more open court. I could see them having trouble keeping up with the likes of NJ and Washington.


----------



## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Jmonty580</b>!
> We dont really need to rebuild like some think we do. We dont need to tank season after season trying to get more and more young players. Right now we are set at every position except for the pg spot and hopefully Williams can develop into a solid starter for us.
> 
> However I am worried that our rookies wont get much pt. Kurt Thomas and ward arent going to be trade to GS for NVE, the warriors already said thats out, so now Sweetney is going to be burried on the bench. Deke will probably start a center and kurt thomas will probably start at pf because McDyess wont be ready to start the season. backing thomas is spoon and harrington and then sweetney. Lampe might get some pt backing deke if they dont give the time to Doleac over lampe.
> ...


Yeah you do if Dice is done. If he can go at his Denver status, than he is the best PF in the East and the Knicks contend for the Eastern title. Face it, the core of Houston, Van Horn and Thomas will never do much. And when they retire look at your talent under 30- Williams, Harrington, Lampe and Sweetney. None of those guys are even projected to be all-star players.

The Knicks will always win at least 35 games because of their resources, but until they put off rebuilding they won't get the Ewing they need to contend for a title.


----------



## MadFishX (Jun 28, 2003)

good..now plz trade him to toronto..PLEAASSEE


----------



## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

Knicks again refuse to go with a youth movement. Again with their stupidity. When are NYers gonna wake up and see they are being ripped off year after year. *Make them tear this team down and rebuild!*

:no: :no: :no:


----------



## Pinball (Aug 3, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>newmessiah10</b>!
> Knicks again refuse to go with a youth movement. Again with their stupidity. When are NYers gonna wake up and see they are being ripped off year after year. *Make them tear this team down and rebuild!*
> 
> :no: :no: :no:


They aren't even getting sellouts anymore. They can announce a full house as much as they'd like to but I'm seeing alot of purple (seat color) in MSG these days. Even the fans have soured on them. The Mets have come to terms with reality and have started rebuilding. Why can't the Knicks?


----------



## NYCbballFan (Jun 8, 2003)

If the Knicks start Deke and Thomas and bring Sweetney and Lampe off the bench, I think that's a good compromise of a competitive team now while also developing the future. Harrington and Spoon lose out if both rookies are decent, but I wouldn't be surprised if one of the rooks plays himself out of the rotation. 

Deke isn't a 30 MPG player anymore, and probably barely a 20 MPG player. The minutes will be there. For rookies, I think fewer MPG on a competitive team is worth as much as higher MPG on a bad team.


----------



## Rashidi (Oct 2, 2003)

*WHY DOES NOBODY GET IT?????*

The Knicks *CAN'T* do a youth movement.

Allan Houston is under contract for 4 more years and 71 million.
Shandon Anderson is under contract for 4 more years and 30 million.
Howard Eisley is under contract for 4 more years and 26 million.
Keith Van Horn is under contract for 3 more years and 42 million (Spree was under contract for 2 years and 28 million)
Clarence Weatherspoon is under contract for 3 more years and 17 million

How are they supposed to do a youth movement with that? Those contracts can't disappear with a snap of the fingers. The fact is, the Knicks have too many veterans on the team to effectively get a good draft choice. They would never get a top 5 pick, because they're going to win at least 30 games for awhile.

Furthermore, the Knicks did not profit financially last year. Fans don't buy tickets when the team is not competitive. If the team is not competitive, the team will lose about 25 million dollars a year. It's easy for you to say that they should dump everything and go youth, but you're not the one who would be taking at least a 50 million dollar hit to your wallet, would you?

$50,000,000. If you were in Dolans shoes, what would you do? The youth movement will have to wait 4 years, although it has started somewhat with the great acquisitions of Sweetney and Lampe this year. Actually, by the time Houston and co's contracts are up, Lampe and Sweetney will be in their 4th seasons. They'll be developed. Houston will still be around and he would likely re-sign with the team ala Reggie Miller. Milos Vujanic would likely be the PG. The lineup projects to be

C Lampe
PF Sweetney
SF Van Horn?
SG Houston
PG Vujanic

That doesn't include any player they acquire within that time. The burdensome contracts of Houston, Anderson, and Eisley will be gone, and waiting to be replaced (if they aren't replaced already by then).


----------



## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

This move just makes the east a little crazier. Anyone that thinks they know the 8 teams going to the playoffs in the east is only kidding themselves.

The only teams we know won't be in the playoffs: the bucks and the hawks. After that you can make a case for anyone you like.


----------



## chapi (Apr 4, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Jemel Irief</b>!
> 
> 
> look at your talent under 30- Williams, Harrington, Lampe and Sweetney. None of those guys are even projected to be all-star players.


Lampe *WILL BE* an all star very soon


----------



## Petey (Aug 23, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>chapi</b>!
> 
> Lampe *WILL BE* an all star very soon


Which is also attributed to the weak weak east (in the front line).

Heck you could make that statement about Darko too, and if Pavel was drafted by the Raptors or if he had come out.

It's not really much of an acheivement.

-Petey


----------



## Julo (Nov 23, 2002)

yeah, being an all star forward in the east deserves an asterix in the record books :laugh:

I hope Mutombo gets back to his :naughty: glory days...


----------



## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Rashidi</b>!
> *WHY DOES NOBODY GET IT?????*
> 
> The Knicks *CAN'T* do a youth movement.
> ...


The whole point is that ALL of those contracts were signed (or in the case of Eisley and Van Horn, traded for) when the Knicks SHOULD of been rebuilding. They should of realized they were done in 2000 and sat on Ewings gigantic expiring contract, but they kept overpaying for medicore vets to justify the prices of their seats. I guess you can make the arguement that Mutumbo somehow helps the development of Lampe and Sweetney, but early playing time on a lottery team didn't seem to hurt Nowitzki and countless other players.


----------



## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Jemel Irief</b>!
> 
> 
> The whole point is that ALL of those contracts were signed (or in the case of Eisley and Van Horn, traded for) when the Knicks SHOULD of been rebuilding. They should of realized they were done in 2000 and sat on Ewings gigantic expiring contract, but they kept overpaying for medicore vets to justify the prices of their seats. I guess you can make the arguement that Mutumbo somehow helps the development of Lampe and Sweetney, but early playing time on a lottery team didn't seem to hurt Nowitzki and countless other players.


That's exactly what I meant. They just keep signing mediocre player after mediocre player and their payroll is full with mediocre players. This team won't be a contender for the next 10 years.


----------



## bballlife (Oct 5, 2003)

Whats the biggest mystery on earth???



How Scott Layden still has a job?


Will this mystery ever be solved? Who knows.


----------



## Black1 (Oct 10, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>wadecaroneddie</b>!
> This move does put the Knicks in the playoffs this year. Ill give the Knicks credit, they want to make the playoffs and will accomplish that, but this move does not help long term


Deke is done. Put a fork in him. If he was the Mitumbo of 5 years ago, the Knicks would be playoff bound for sure. But not now.


----------



## Knicksbiggestfan (Apr 29, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>bballlife</b>!
> Whats the biggest mystery on earth???
> 
> 
> ...



James Dolan is running the franchise. 

Give me my Pinkerton Academy degree and inspector's hat.


----------

