# Knicks in serious talks with Sessions



## narek

> The New York Knicks appear to be the top contender for Bucks restricted free agent Ramon Sessions.
> 
> After being unable to solve their point guard issues earlier in free agency, the Knicks are seriously considering making an offer sheet to the 6-foot-3 Sessions. According to the New York Post, the Knicks are likely to offer something less than the full mid-level exception (starting at $5.8 million next season) over a five-year deal.
> 
> Sessions' agent, Jimmy "Chubby" Wells, said earlier this week that he expected to receive an offer sheet from an NBA team. He indicated both the Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers had been in contact with him.


http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/51394472.html

Something's going to happen pretty soon then.


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## roux

I really want this stuff to ge cleared up soon, I just want someone to make the offer already, either we match or we dont. A sign and trade would be ideal but its unlikely at this point. If Ramon walks that gives us 5 million to play with and there are a couple of intriguing names available still like Lee and Davis


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## BlakeJesus

Yeah the sooner this gets done the better. I think it's in the Bucks best interest to let Ramon walk. Either save that money, because lets be honest this team is not going to be competing for anything but a top pick next season, or throw it at somebody like Lee. You do that, you hope you have some guys step up or overachieve and you scratch and claw for the 8th spot. I'd like to see Ramon walk and Jennings get some serious minutes, because he's a serious talent. I think him playing against professionals last year gives him an advantage over other rookies coming into the league. He's the future, and since you don't really have a legit chance to compete let him earn his minutes and maybe a ROY.


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## roux

GregOden said:


> Yeah the sooner this gets done the better. I think it's in the Bucks best interest to let Ramon walk. Either save that money, because lets be honest this team is not going to be competing for anything but a top pick next season, or throw it at somebody like Lee. You do that, you hope you have some guys step up or overachieve and you scratch and claw for the 8th spot. I'd like to see Ramon walk and Jennings get some serious minutes, because he's a serious talent. I think him playing against professionals last year gives him an advantage over other rookies coming into the league. He's the future, and since you don't really have a legit chance to compete let him earn his minutes and maybe a ROY.


Yup, Jennings is the real deal, only way i would bring back Ramon is if they can figure out how to move Ridnour


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## narek

It's still a waiting game for Sessions:



> Sessions, 23, is coming off a strong sophomore performance and has generated attention from a number of teams, including the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers. But the Knicks have salary concerns for the summer of 2010, when they hope to be a player in the LeBron James free agent sweepstakes.
> 
> The Knicks have held off making a formal offer to Sessions while looking at a number of options, including re-signing point guard Nate Robinson or signing newly released Jamaal Tinsley, the former Indiana Pacers guard.
> 
> The Clippers also have displayed interest in Sessions, but they just acquired point guard Sebastian Telfair as part of a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
> 
> So where does this leave Sessions? Waiting, waiting and waiting.
> 
> Veteran point guard Andre Miller signed last week with Portland, and Indiana's Jarrett Jack, who was restricted, went to Toronto when the Pacers declined to match the Raptors offer.
> 
> The Bucks are content to sit back until someone makes an offer because they aren't inclined to bid against themselves. They would like Sessions back on the roster, but not at any price.


http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/51922802.html

There's more at the link - including news on the very slow finishing Malik Allen trade, and what the Bucks may or may not do with Bruce Bowen.


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## BlakeJesus

I think the Knicks are probably trying hardest to get back Nate, but he's getting a pretty sexy offer from that Greek club. After that, I'd have to say that Sessions would/should be higher on their list than Tinsley. Tinsley might be a slightly better fit because he's a capable outside shooter and Sessions isn't, but Sessions is like 8 years younger.

If I'm a Bucks fan I'm really hoping the Knicks formally offer him a deal.


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## roux

Im hoping anyone offers him a deal, I understand thats the nature of restricted free agency but i am getting impatient. i am just happy we havent bid against ourselves like we have in the past. Larry Harris was so worried that Dan Gadzuric was going to get a huge offer he gave him a 6 year 36 million dollar contract. The Bucks are playing it smart right now


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## Tom

Me thinks they need to in some way show Mr. Sessions some love. They might regret it years from now. Dude, has some serious game.


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## roux

Tom said:


> Me thinks they need to in some way show Mr. Sessions some love. They might regret it years from now. Dude, has some serious game.


you may be right, but the Bucks dont have a very good track record of giving out the right deals, odds are if we sign him for 5 years he will suck 2 years into it or be hurt, thats just how it has worked for the last decade


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## Tom

Maybe, but they have a chance to get a good player for a while and turn that around. He reminds me of the old school bucks.


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## narek

Mark Stein says the Knicks have an offer ready, and the Bucks won't match:



> One trusted source insists that the Knicks believe they can extend Sessions far enough to dissuade Milwaukee from matching but without affecting their well-chronicled strategy to leave enough salary-cap space to recruit one maximum-salaried free agent in the summer of 2010. An offer sheet to a restricted free agent must be for at least two years, but it remains unclear how much of New York's $5.9 million mid-level exception Sessions would receive.
> 
> Committing the next two seasons (or more) to Sessions, after fruitless free-agent flirtations with Jason Kidd and Grant Hill earlier this month, becomes easier for the Knicks to stomach if restricted free agents David Lee and Nate Robinson indeed return on one-year contracts bumped into the $6 million range. Lee and Robinson would thus become unrestricted free agents next summer while helping the Knicks maintain maximum flexibility.
> 
> ESPN.com reported earlier Thursday evening that Warrick, who was transformed from a restricted free agent to an unrestricted free agent last week when the Grizzlies withdrew their qualifying offer, was deciding between Cleveland, Philadelphia and Milwaukee and preparing to choose his new team as early as Friday.


http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=stein_marc&page=Chatter-090730


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## seifer0406

What exactly is wrong with Sessions? Didn't he put up some big numbers for the Bucks last year? How come only the Knicks seem interested in him?


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## rocketeer

so the bucks are going to have traded jefferson for basically nothing and are going to let both villanueva and sessions walk with no compensation?


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## narek

rocketeer said:


> so the bucks are going to have traded jefferson for basically nothing and are going to let both villanueva and sessions walk with no compensation?


They traded Jefferson for salary relief.


And they've made enough moves it may still be possible to resign Sessions without the tax being an issue.


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## roux

seifer0406 said:


> What exactly is wrong with Sessions? Didn't he put up some big numbers for the Bucks last year? How come only the Knicks seem interested in him?


He had some big games for sure, his consistancy wasnt really there but he is young and that can improve. He is a below average defender but has good height so he is a good rebounder. He can get to the hoop as easily as any pg in the NBA but severely lacks a jumper. For every good thing about Ramon there is an equally bad thing about him. I like him alot and would love to see the Bucks keep him till Jennings is ready, but if you wanna know why he isnt getting the treatment of an up and coming star thats probably why.. that and the Bucks really control his future


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## Bubbles

rocketeer said:


> so the bucks are going to have traded jefferson for basically nothing and are going to let both villanueva and sessions walk with no compensation?


Really can't be mad at any of this. Bucks were already not going to be serious competitors this year and they know it. Getting rid of Jefferson for expirings means that is $15 million off our books that we would have had otherwise for the 2010-2011 season. So in the end we should have another top ten pick next year on top of a bunch cap space.

Now, if they could only get of Redd's contract....


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## roux

Quite Frankly said:


> Really can't be mad at any of this. Bucks were already not going to be serious competitors this year and they know it. Getting rid of Jefferson for expirings means that is $15 million off our books that we would have had otherwise for the 2010-2011 season. So in the end we should have another top ten pick next year on top of a bunch cap space.
> 
> Now, if they could only get of Redd's contract....


Absolutely, with the way this team is set up right now there is no reason to have redd on it, go all out youth this year see what you have, give guys a chance to prove themselves get another high pick. Ill be shocked if Redd is still on this team after the trade deadline


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## Bubbles

roux2dope said:


> Absolutely, with the way this team is set up right now there is no reason to have redd on it, go all out youth this year see what you have, give guys a chance to prove themselves get another high pick. Ill be shocked if Redd is still on this team after the trade deadline


Best case scenario, Redd gets traded before deadline, that is if we can find someone willing to take on his contract (hopefully in a case where he plays out of his mind this year). Or he declines his player option next year, which will take $18.3 million of the books next year, leaving our salaries on the books at about $25 million.

Lets hope of these scenarios play over the course of next season.


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## rocketeer

roux2dope said:


> Absolutely, with the way this team is set up right now there is no reason to have redd on it, go all out youth this year see what you have, give guys a chance to prove themselves get another high pick. Ill be shocked if Redd is still on this team after the trade deadline


but your entire defense of the jefferson deal was that it would allow them to bring back villanueva and sessions. then you switched to it allowing them to bring back sessions. now it's just nothing?

i mean all the moves are justifiable on their own, but with them all combined it's like they aren't even trying. right now the future of the bucks organization all depends on whether or not jennings can develop into a star.

how are the bucks going to dump redd? i can't see any team willing to take him on unless they give up unproductive players with contracts that end the same as his(in which case, why not just keep redd?) or the bucks are going to have to take a longterm bad deal like luol deng(though not necessarily that long or that bad of a deal).


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## rocketeer

Quite Frankly said:


> I doubt they will be able to dump Redd. We can only hope that he declines his option.


so you have no hope then. there is absolutely no chance he walks away from a guaranteed 18 mil for one season.


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## Bubbles

I doubt they will be able to dump Redd. We can only hope that he declines his option.


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## narek

I can't believe the Knicks haven't made an offer yet.


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## Krstic All-Star

^ Tell me about it. I've been a Sessions fan for a couple of seasons now, and was THRILLED when the Knicks started talking to him for that reason. Now though, I see more about Jason "Expired Chocolate" Williams...


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## roux

rocketeer said:


> but your entire defense of the jefferson deal was that it would allow them to bring back villanueva and sessions. then you switched to it allowing them to bring back sessions. now it's just nothing?
> 
> i mean all the moves are justifiable on their own, but with them all combined it's like they aren't even trying. right now the future of the bucks organization all depends on whether or not jennings can develop into a star.
> 
> how are the bucks going to dump redd? i can't see any team willing to take him on unless they give up unproductive players with contracts that end the same as his(in which case, why not just keep redd?) or the bucks are going to have to take a longterm bad deal like luol deng(though not necessarily that long or that bad of a deal).


I have already said that i didnt have the money correct at the time, I have changed my outlook on it as well and i can now see it from the bucks perspective a little bit more. Sessions and CV on this team for the next 5 years does absolutely nothing for us, they are both solid players but far from pieces to build around. The Bucks need to endure two more years of Michael Redd cause they are going to have a hard time trading just based on his contract alone and thats not even including the blown out knee. The only way the Bucks are ever going to improve is if they find some youth that can develop into all star caliber players, and this year almost seems like one gigantic tryout. If the Bucks would have kept Jefferson they would have struggled to even be the 8th seed and would have gotten killed in the first round, if the bucks would have given up all their cap space and brought back CV and Ramon they would struggle to be the 8th seed for the next 5 years. Tehf fact is the Bucks were a horribley managed team during the Larry Harris era, he made them a perenial 35 win team, now new management has to waste 2-3 more years trying to build em back up, sucks when your teams rebuilding process fails the first time around, and drastic changes need to be made. If jennings ans out and Bogut lives up to potential like i expect them to this year and you throw in a top 5 pick next year the Bucks future looks a hell of alot brighter


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## TwinkieFoot

Quite Frankly said:


> I doubt they will be able to dump Redd. We can only hope that he declines his option.


I think either the Rockets (for Tracy McGrady) or the Celtics (for Ray Allen) would be interested in exchange Redd for their respective players expiring contracts. McGrady has been fairly injury prone and something of a prima donna apparently in Houston, which has promptly inspired trade rumors there. Ray Allen has been very inconsistent in Boston and is approaching 34 years old. Such an exchange would work out well for both teams.


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## roux

TwinkieFoot said:


> I think either the Rockets (for Tracy McGrady) or the Celtics (for Ray Allen) would be interested in exchange Redd for their respective players expiring contracts. McGrady has been fairly injury prone and something of a prima donna apparently in Houston, which has promptly inspired trade rumors there. Ray Allen has been very inconsistent in Boston and is approaching 34 years old. Such an exchange would work out well for both teams.


Redd has a player option for 17 million next year, I would be shocked if he didnt excersise it


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## TwinkieFoot

roux2dope said:


> Redd has a player option for 17 million next year, I would be shocked if he didnt excersise it


I'm aware of that and your point is....


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## roux

TwinkieFoot said:


> I'm aware of that and your point is....


sorry, i misread your post i thought you referred to redds deal as expiring, I would trade Redd for TMac in a heart beat not sure if Houston would until they saw he was healthy, which shouldnt matter since Tracy clearly isnt


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## Krstic All-Star

So who should the Bucks try to get back for Sessions if they can work a sign and trade?


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## roux

Krstic All Star said:


> So who should the Bucks try to get back for Sessions if they can work a sign and trade?


I have heard the Clips would give up Telfair and i would assume a top 5 protected lotto pick, it was refereed to as a "a pick" and i doubt it would be a second. They arent going to get a player with equal upside or talent like Wilson Chandler or Al Thornton, which is unfortunate


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## Krstic All-Star

roux2dope said:


> I have heard the Clips would give up Telfair and i would assume a top 5 protected lotto pick, it was refereed to as a "a pick" and i doubt it would be a second. They arent going to get a player with equal upside or talent like Wilson Chandler or Al Thornton, which is unfortunate


OK, but sticking with my growingly wishful thinking that he'll end up a Knick, who could/should they try to get, considering that Chandler's not an option, and the Bucks are otherwise set at PG?


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## roux

Krstic All Star said:


> OK, but sticking with my growingly wishful thinking that he'll end up a Knick, who could/should they try to get, considering that Chandler's not an option, and the Bucks are otherwise set at PG?


Jeez, not a pretty list of contracts to thumb through on that team, and since you guys gave away your first round pick next year to Utah there isnt much there, Duhons expiring would be nice and i consider him to be a slight upgrade over Ridnour and a future first would probably get it done and would be as close as you could get to the Clips telfair and a first offer


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## Krstic All-Star

Ugh, that's not pretty.


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## Bubbles

roux2dope said:


> I have heard the Clips would give up Telfair and i would assume a top 5 protected lotto pick, it was refereed to as a "a pick" and i doubt it would be a second. They arent going to get a player with equal upside or talent like Wilson Chandler or Al Thornton, which is unfortunate


I wouldn't mind having that pick, but I could live without Telfair being on the Bucks.


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