# Kobe Bryant Was Interested In The Knicks, But Not The Money



## USSKittyHawk (Jul 22, 2005)

> Kobe Byrant only Madison Square Garden appearance of the season was nullified yesterday by a suspension. Had the Knicks managed their payroll better, Bryant sightings at the Garden might not be so rare. In the summer of 2004, Bryant was a free agent and the Knicks were an eager — though financially hamstrung — suitor. Armed with only the midlevel salary-cap exception (worth about $5 million in the first year), Knicks officials flew to Southern California and made their pitch.
> The effort was as bold as it was futile. As Bryant’s employer, the Los Angeles Lakers were allowed to pay him the maximum salary, about $130 million over seven years. Other teams with salary-cap room could offer Bryant about $102 million over six years.
> 
> All the Knicks could offer was the Garden’s mystique and New York’s marketing appeal. It was enough to make Bryant listen. Had the Knicks been able to make a competitive offer, Bryant might be wearing blue and orange today.
> ...


http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/31/s...1&oref=slogin&ref=basketball&pagewanted=print

See what I mean folks, cap flexibility. All the Isiah supporters appear to conveniently forget about our cap situation when talking about his sorry *** GM moves. You need cap space in order to sigh high level free agents, that's GM 101. Just imagine if we did have some sort of space, we could have sign better players than Jerome James and Jared Jeffries, but all the non-Isiah supporters are just delusional. :zip: <NYT_UPDATE_BOTTOM></NYT_UPDATE_BOTTOM></NYT_TEXT>


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## The Future7 (Feb 24, 2005)

Kobe? NY? Someone please arrest iT now!


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## ChosenFEW (Jun 23, 2005)

omg kitty ....you just put me in a bad mood for today.....


the fact that he said we wouldve had a chance if we had some flexibility with the cap just gave me chills....

kobe in NY....wow....if isiah pulled that off he wouldve been my hero lol


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## TwinkieFoot (Jul 8, 2006)

USSKittyHawk said:


> http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/31/s...1&oref=slogin&ref=basketball&pagewanted=print
> 
> See what I mean folks, cap flexibility. All the Isiah supporters appear to All Isiah bashers seem to forget that he certainly did not put us into the cap purgatory nor did he really do anything to make the situation any conveniently forget about our cap situation when talking about his sorry *** GM moves. You need cap space in order to sigh high level free agents, that's GM 101. Just imagine if we did have some sort of space, we could have sign better players than Jerome James and Jared Jeffries, but all the non-Isiah supporters are just delusional. :zip: <NYT_UPDATE_BOTTOM></NYT_UPDATE_BOTTOM></NYT_TEXT>


worse. With Scott Layden's roster, we would have had some of the same dudes past 2004 that would have prevented us from signing Kobe. As much as I love Kobe's game and think him to be the best player in the league and as good as Jordan was at his age, I doubt he would have come to New York. 

It's convenient to say that he would have gone to this or that place now that he's locked into a contract with the Lakers for 4-5 more years. I recall not to long ago that he said Chicago was a realistic destination and that the Clippers were minutes away from signing him until he backed off. I think it's pretty easy to say that Kobe is trying to win people over and build his PR ability which had unjustly taken a serious hit with the departure of Shaq and the Colorado bit.

Needless to say, Isiah has done a solid job considering how horrific this team was. We're on the rebound now and predict we will start experiencing more consistent wins. As far as the cap space, it still does not equate to players. I much prefer to build this team through the draft and trades because that's how winners are ultimately built and not through hoping someday that a player will feel sorry for them and sign with them; it's a much better business plan.


Besides, if you want to blame anyone, blame Layden. I recall reading an article by several New York papers that had mentioned the Knicks had the opportunity of acquiring Bryant through a trade. At that point, Bryant and Jackson's relationship had appeared unmendable and resulted in trade talks in exchange for Allan Houston and draft picks. *LAYDEN APPARENTLY REJECTED THE TRADE BECAUSE HE THOUGHT HOUSTON TO BE VALUEABLE.* If those reports were true, that could easily go atop the list as one of the greatest **** up's of all time.


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## Truknicksfan (Mar 25, 2005)

Yep kitty. You could have done a better job as a GM. Shoot, you could have made me coach and I could have been a better coach then him lol.

Lets get rid of zeke already so Kitty can be the new GM and she can appoint me the new coach.:yay:


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## USSKittyHawk (Jul 22, 2005)

Truknicksfan said:


> Yep kitty. You could have done a better job as a GM. Shoot, you could have made me coach and I could have been a better coach then him lol.
> 
> Lets get rid of zeke already so Kitty can be the new GM and she can appoint me the new coach.:rofl:


I have great managerial skills, and I can yell and curse a lot.


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## Da Grinch (Aug 17, 2002)

you all do realize the knicks have been* double *the salary cap for the last 11 years and Zeke has been a GM only 3 years ?

New York Knicks Total: $88,780,416
Allan Houston .............. $15,937,500
Antonio McDyess ............ $13,500,000
Keith Van Horn ............. $13,279,750
Shandon Anderson ........... $6,700,000
Charlie Ward ............... $6,030,000
Howard Eisley .............. $5,843,750
Kurt Thomas ................ $5,394,125
Travis Knight .............. $4,402,500 [released 10/27/03]
Clarence Weatherspoon ...... $5,445,600
Dikembe Mutombo ............ $4,087,667

Othella Harrington ......... $2,925,000

Mike Sweetney .............. $1,840,800
Michael Doleac ............. $1,540,000
Frank Williams ............. $894,960
Maciej Lampe ............... $829,000
Slavko Vranes .............. $129,768 [released 12/26/03]

the opening day roster and their salaries 11/2003 1 month before Thomas

in 18 months this is supposed to be pared down to 33 mil.? (I'm assuming Kobe wants his salary that he's getting in L.A. and since he didn't mention a pay cut the # to be free is 16 mil.)

and why because 2 seasons after the fact Kobe says he would have come to NY .

i am also assuming this would have been done somehow with jimmy dolan saying its ok since he wont allow an all out rebuilding effort.

so smart people how is it done?

how do cut 55 mil. off the cap without rebuilding ... because if you go the all out rebuilding mode you lose your job?


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## ChosenFEW (Jun 23, 2005)

well obviously we werent going to cut that much salary to get kobe.....


but that wasnt the point......like i said...kobe said we wouldve had a chance IF we had flexibilty with the cap....

of course the way we are we were never going to get him but just acknowlodging that the knicks was/wouldve been on his list is good enough for me lol


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## USSKittyHawk (Jul 22, 2005)

The Knicks are in rebuilding mode? That's news to me, I thought rebuilding meant, blowing up a team and starting from scatch instead of having the highest payroll in the league that would make the NY Yankees oganization blush.


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## USSKittyHawk (Jul 22, 2005)

ChosenFEW said:


> well obviously we werent going to cut that much salary to get kobe.....
> 
> 
> but that wasnt the point......like i said...*kobe said we wouldve had a chance IF we had flexibilty with the cap....*
> ...


Exactly, but when you critize Isiah, you must be the devil. No one says a word when we trash Layden, and I see that as a double standard. They both are horrible GM's as far as I'm concerned. If they knew how to manage money properly we would have probably had some flexibility.


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## Da Grinch (Aug 17, 2002)

USSKittyHawk said:


> Exactly, but when you critize Isiah, you must be the devil. No one says a word when we trash Layden, and I see that as a double standard. They both are horrible GM's as far as I'm concerned. If they knew how to manage money properly we would have probably had some flexibility.


the difference is this. 

scott layden inherited what was considered the prize GM position in the sport ...a few years later it was the worst job in the sport.

and thats what happens when you inherit a team coming off a finals appearance , but leave a team in shambles, old slow, small, way overpaid.

dont you remember all the Knicks GM job is a no win battle talk....that started during Layden's tenure .

Magic turned it down and mentioned Zeke for it...In all your years as a fan do you ever remember any1 ever turning down that job?

I cant .

and thats why kitty there is a difference no double standard just a keen sense of what happened here.

but the proofs in the pudding here is a link to scott layden's tenure as the head guy ...look it over and then take a good look at what isiah's done .

then you tell me if they should be judged the same.

http://www.n-c-systems.com/hoops/Se...004&EndMonth=1&EndDay=1&submit=Search&start=0


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## USSKittyHawk (Jul 22, 2005)

Da Grinch said:


> the difference is this.
> 
> scott layden inherited what was considered the prize GM position in the sport ...a few years later it was the worst job in the sport.
> 
> ...


I know Layden's resume that was a total waste of a couple of minutes of my life. Sorry to say, I'm not changing my stance, but you pissed me off by reminding me that we got rid of Camby. LOL Isiah is just as bad, if we are so called rebuilding why would you keep adding on salary? Either way they are both idiots as far as I'm concerned who has made this franchise a laughing stock of all sports. While you keeping swinging your victory towel in support of Isiah while we take L's by the likes of the Bobcats, I'm going to be in the corner quietly rooting for his pink slip. Time for a new face for this franchise, Isiah had his time and so did Layden, it's time to move on.

Edit:I'm going to take a guess at your way thinking in terms of Isiah. Now, I'm guessing you want him to stay on until 2009, where all the dead weight comes off the cap so he can get a fresh start, and possiblly sign someone like Wade or another elite superstar and build around Curry. You feel it isn't fair that Isiah is taking all these heat because he already inherited this problem. So I'm going to ask you this, when is it time for Isiah to pack his bags and go? 2009?


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## Da Grinch (Aug 17, 2002)

USSKittyHawk said:


> I know Layden's resume that was a total waste of a couple of minutes of my life. Sorry to say, I'm not changing my stance, but you pissed me off by reminding me that we got rid of Camby. LOL Isiah is just as bad, if we are so called rebuilding why would you keep adding on salary? Either way they are both idiots as far as I'm concerned who has made this franchise a laughing stock of all sports. While you keeping swinging your victory towel in support of Isiah while we take L's by the likes of the Bobcats, I'm going to be in the corner quietly rooting for his pink slip. Time for a new face for this franchise, Isiah had his time and so did Layden, it's time to move on.
> 
> Edit:I'm going to take a guess at your way thinking in terms of Isiah. Now, I'm guessing you want him to stay on until 2009, where all the dead weight comes off the cap so he can get a fresh start, and possiblly sign someone like Wade or another elite superstar and build around Curry. You feel it isn't fair that Isiah is taking all these heat because he already inherited this problem. So I'm going to ask you this, when is it time for Isiah to pack his bags and go? 2009?


rebuilding with cap space isn't always the best way to go , look at the bobcats , they have had the #2,#3 and #6 pick the last 3 seasons and despite their win yesterday they are a worse team than the knicks, you cant always get a superstar to come , the sys. is built to help teams keep their superstar by paying them more.

I think its a lot more feasible to hold onto a bunch of mid level young players in their prime and when a superstar becomes available via trade package 2 of them plus maybe a young player and get them that way...i think that is Thomas' plan as there is clearly a minutes crunch on the squad...he's overstocked the team with too many similar level talents .

to me there is no such thing as a tear down the roster rebuild in NY , Dolan would never allow it...if he were the time to do that was when they traded ewing ...they got 2 1st rounders plus players ...but they never even held onto the picks as they traded them away. for othella harrington and mark jackson in 2001.

I'll remind of a story to let you know how rebuilding is just not going to happen remember when Xavier Mcdaniel went to the celtics , he was coming off a career worst season and he was obvously slowing down , Knicks brass wisely chose to let him go (his career kept declining after he left at a steady pace depite the fact he was only 28 in his last season with the knicks) Dolan was very upset and declared the knicks will never lose another free agent over money again ...and since then they haven't , they also have not been below the cap since. within a couple of years from that edict they were double the cap something they have been for the last 11 years...oddly enough Thomas will not be double the cap at the end of this season making him the most cap friendly Knicks GM in over a decade...but hate on.

the kick out the GM for some1 who will get cap friendly is a pipe dream as long as dolan is in charge.


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## 0oh_S0o_FreSh!! (Jun 3, 2006)

hmm.. im just wondering would do this? 

Stephon Marbury
6-2 PG from Georgia Tech
14.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 5.5 apg in 36.0 minutes

Jerome James
7-1 C from Florida A&M
2.8 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 0.0 apg in 7.1 minutes

Mardy Collins
6-6 SG from Temple
1.5 ppg, 0.5 rpg, 0.2 apg in 4.8 minutes
Incoming

Mike Bibby
6-2 PG from Arizona
17.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 5.4 apg in 36.2 minutes

Corliss Williamson
6-7 SF from Arkansas
9.1 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 0.5 apg in 18.5 minutes

Shareef Abdur-Rahim
6-9 PF from California
10.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.4 apg in 26.0 minutes
Change in team outlook: +17.9 ppg, +7.0 rpg, and +1.6 apg.

Sacramento Trade Breakdown
Outgoing

Mike Bibby
6-2 PG from Arizona
17.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 5.4 apg in 36.2 minutes

Corliss Williamson
6-7 SF from Arkansas
9.1 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 0.5 apg in 18.5 minutes

Shareef Abdur-Rahim
6-9 PF from California
10.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.4 apg in 26.0 minutes
Incoming

Stephon Marbury
6-2 PG from Georgia Tech
14.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 5.5 apg in 36.0 minutes

Jerome James
7-1 C from Florida A&M
2.8 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 0.0 apg in 7.1 minutes

Mardy Collins


better yet would new york and sacramento do it>


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## TwinkieFoot (Jul 8, 2006)

ChosenFEW said:


> well obviously we werent going to cut that much salary to get kobe.....
> 
> 
> but that wasnt the point......like i said...kobe said we wouldve had a chance IF we had flexibilty with the cap....
> ...


The Chicago Bulls also had cap flexibility and had the chance to sign Kobe Bryant yet.....no Kobe Bryant.


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## TwinkieFoot (Jul 8, 2006)

USSKittyHawk said:


> The Knicks are in rebuilding mode? That's news to me, I thought rebuilding meant, blowing up a team and starting from scatch instead of having the highest payroll in the league that would make the NY Yankees oganization blush.


Nope, rebuilding is adding talented YOUNG players through trades or the draft in order to be successful in the future. I'd say that Eddy Curry, David Lee, Channing Frye, Nate Robinson, Mardy Collins, Ronaldo Balkman, and even Quentin Richardson, Jared Jefferies and Jamal Crawford constitute rebuilding especially when the team was about 30+ years old on average. 


Cap flexibility is just a means to get those young players. As far as blowing up the team,Isiah had gotten rid of every Scott Layden player in a span of less than a year and has turned this team over several times to get to the position we are in now. If that's not "blowing up a team" then I don't know what is.


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## ChosenFEW (Jun 23, 2005)

TwinkieFoot said:


> The Chicago Bulls also had cap flexibility and had the chance to sign Kobe Bryant yet.....no Kobe Bryant.


yep but still,....if im not mistaken....the team that you are already on can offer you a bit more than other teams(or an extra year) something like that......

kobe wouldve had to sacrafice a couple mill to go to another team.....

regardless how much money these guys have they always want a couple of extra dollars... plus he had his home, wife, everything in L.A....

i doubt he wouldve went to the bulls....I'd see him coming to N.Y first then Chicago.

not really a hard decision if you look at it....

.........NY market is still > than the Chicago market

please believe that


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## USSKittyHawk (Jul 22, 2005)

ChosenFEW said:


> yep but still,....if im not mistaken....the team that you are already on can offer you a bit more than other teams(or an extra year) something like that......
> 
> kobe wouldve had to sacrafice a couple mill to go to another team.....
> 
> ...


Exactly, and I could have sworn the article was about NY, not Chicago.


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## alphaorange (Jul 2, 2006)

*Article's a bunch of crap....*

Its about the money. Always about the money. NY is not going to get a superstar to come here until they can come close to the money a player can get elsewhere. The next time it happens will be the first, regardless of what rhetoric the players or agents spout. As far as totally blowing up the Knicks and rebuilding, it hasn't been done. Yes, young players have been drafted and signed, but the fact of the matter is that the teams salary core is taken up by veteran players on the decline. Lets not forget the bought out players that remain on the cap. Isiah was undecided between trying to win with a few tweaks and starting over. What he has done is end up in nowhere land where the only way out is to try to sign or trade for players in hopes of a rebirth or a guy finding himself OR draft guys in hopes of locating a future star that nobody else recognized. He has been extraordinarily good at the draft, bad at signings, and middle of the road on trades. Curry is the key. This team is locked up for at least 2 more years salary-wise. At the end of next year, there may be teams willing to take Marbury's expiring or maybe Francis (I expect a retirement from him). At that point we should be in good shape if they don't throw unnecessary money at some of the young guys. Sorry to stray so far from the subject, but the reality is Kobe was never coming here.


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## Da Grinch (Aug 17, 2002)

if you believe the difference between getting kobe in chicago and new york is all that vast i feel sorry for you ...new york is significantly bigger but in chicago he would get all that misplaced MJ love and be the face of the NBA there too...he didn't go there because of 2 things ...money and ...um guys he's in L.A. a pretty big media market on its own its not like he was in Utah dreaming of the big lights...he was already a major star , media and otherwise.

he was never coming he just wanted to be courted which is why he went to chicago , ny ...heck even Elgin baylor in clipperville.


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## TwinkieFoot (Jul 8, 2006)

USSKittyHawk said:


> Exactly, and I could have sworn the article was about NY, not Chicago.



That was a very astute basketball observation and I'm sure you did your homework on that one. The point however was that just because cap space exists and you live in a nice city, does not equate to players coming to your team ala the Kobe Bryant not going to Chicago reference.


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## TwinkieFoot (Jul 8, 2006)

ChosenFEW said:


> yep but still,....if im not mistaken....the team that you are already on can offer you a bit more than other teams(or an extra year) something like that......
> 
> kobe wouldve had to sacrafice a couple mill to go to another team.....
> 
> ...




Funny how Jordan is widely recognized as the game's greatest player and he not only was drafted by the Bulls but stay with them during the time when all the CBA red-tape was not as rigid. 

Especially with the way that the game has been developing, Kobe could have still had the same marketability in New York as Chicago thanks to new and innovative technology that allows people to pretty much get his name out there (not to say it isn't). It's 2007 and a new age in sports so I doubt New York being New York would have made just about any difference in him coming here. 

Like I said, he was supposedly minutes away from signing with the Clippers and no cigar and a few hours away from going to the Bulls. He's playing people and trying to build his PR.


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## ChosenFEW (Jun 23, 2005)

im not talking about what he was realistically thinking about doing.....im talking about in a made up fantasy world where there are elves, witches, fawns, and the knicks under the salary cap.....

if you have chicago and new york same conditions same cap, same players, same everything.. which one do you think he would choose....i mean come on, honestly.....

In fact which one would YOU choose....

exactly!!!

NY>WINDY CITY


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## TwinkieFoot (Jul 8, 2006)

ChosenFEW said:


> im not talking about what he was realistically thinking about doing.....im talking about in a made up fantasy world where there are elves, witches, fawns, and the knicks under the salary cap.....
> 
> if you have chicago and new york same conditions same cap, same players, same everything.. which one do you think he would choose....i mean come on, honestly.....
> 
> ...


Chicago just to piss you off, LOL.


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## ChosenFEW (Jun 23, 2005)

haha lol


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