Did the Knicks Hire D’Antoni for Lebron?
Photo. MannionThat’s a theory being posed by a story in Newsday this morning, that goes so far as to speculate what position ‘Bron would play for the Knicks. From the article:
Come hell or high loss totals along the way, Walsh will get the Knicks under the salary cap by 2010. The Garden is always an attractive place for free agents and landing a players’ coach only sweetens the pot. A person with knowledge of the situation said Bulls players were filling team executive John Paxson’s inbox with text messages, begging him to bring D’Antoni to Chicago.
“They wanted to play for Mike,” the person said. And Walsh is banking on this to be just another reason for LeBron James to seriously consider making the Garden his home if he declines a player option and becomes a free agent in 2010.It would take a lot of payroll maneuvering in the meantime and, perhaps, some tough decisions. As the roster stands, the Knicks will have just $28 million against the cap going into the 2010-11 season. It’s the perfect storm; the best player on the planet is available and the richest team in the league has cap space.
“I think those thoughts are very prominent in the front office,” said a person with knowledge of the situation.
And the business about where he’d play in D’Antoni’s system:
One person with knowledge of D’Antoni’s thinking suggested he “would probably use [James] at the four spot [power forward] … He would fit in anywhere.”
James is the mold of the ideal player for the D’Antoni system. “Ideally,” the person said, “you would have a bunch of 6-9 guys who can handle the ball and shoot threes.”
What do you think? Are the Knicks (and the media) getting a little ahead of themselves?
Check out the full article HERE.
May 12th, 2008 at 10:11 am
Carolyn says:
Silly dreamers, LeBron is for Cleveland.
May 12th, 2008 at 10:11 am
djKianoosh says:
It only works if they let their current contracts expire. They can’t be making any more trades and getting longer contracts. This is what they should have been doing for the last 4 years, so who are they kidding? Come trade deadline, some team is going to fleece them again. Unless Walsh really does stand his ground and they tank the next two seasons.
Marbury needs to be long gone by then. No way Lebron wants to come to a team with him on it.
Still, it’s going to be fun watching the knicks suck for at least two more years. go sixers!! LOL
May 12th, 2008 at 10:13 am
Scott says:
This is all nice and pretty, but just because D’Antoni signed on doesn’t make all the Knicks problems go away. The only way that LeBron leaves Cleveland is if he finds a suitor who has a substantial upgrade in supporting cast, and the Knicks would have to pull off miracles to do that.
Plus, by the time that LeBron is a FA, D’Antoni will have worn out his welcome in NYC anyways so it’ll be a moot point.
Oh, and we all know that LeBron is going to NJ, cuz of Jay-Z, when was the last time an owner did what Jigga did with that DeShawn track, lol.
May 12th, 2008 at 10:16 am
Mr. Knight says:
YO D’Antoni should have went to the hawks perfect fit bunch of 6′9 dudes perfect fit
May 12th, 2008 at 10:20 am
Capital says:
Well, honestly I think if LeBron was to go to NY he would go play for his dude JAY-Z. This is a business and JAY-Z is def a Business MAN! But one question if that’s D’Antoni’s ideal team why wasn’t he up for the Hawks job?!!
May 12th, 2008 at 10:39 am
chrisGO says:
Bulls are once again on the outside looking in…Pax needs to get the boot already
May 12th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Juanito says:
LeBron is so gone from Cleveland…would be nice to see him in a Knicks uni…
May 12th, 2008 at 11:23 am
Kobeef says:
@Carolyn and Kanoosh
Lebron staying in Cleveland is far from a sure thing.
1. Lebron can opt-out of his current deal in 2010-11.
2. The Knicks have just $28 million in committed contracts for 2010-11.
3. The (Brooklyn) Nets have just $32 Million in committed contracts for 2010-11.
4. Cleveland has only one contact on the books in 2010 (LeBron) so the Cavs also have some work to do if they want to keep him.
5. All three teams are in a good position rebuild for Lebron
6.Cleveland is in a risky situation with no contracts – it is almost impossible to sign-away a superstar so Cleveland has two drafts to make their team better. They don’t really have any great players on the roster now so keeping the core together doesn’t really help.
As long as the Nets don’t make any big contract mistakes I’d wager that LeBron ends up in Brooklyn with his man Jay-Z in 2010.
May 12th, 2008 at 11:26 am
Chosen says:
i think it all depends on if the cavs can sign more support for james to stay on the team and win a championship. right now he doesnt have a qualified sidekick or consistant supporting staff to win close games against veteran teams. if i was lebron i would’nt want to go to NY if i knew there was no one there to help me. watching these last two series with the cavs, their front office and lebron cant believe they can win every year with who they have now and how things are going
May 12th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Kobeef says:
And here’s a quote from a Knicks insider after the hiring of Mike D’ :
“The Knicks’ new front office is dead set on having cap space when LeBron James becomes a free agent”
May 12th, 2008 at 11:28 am
Lady Luck says:
I think the Knicks will definitely make a play for Lebron, and he will consider it depending on what kind of team they can put on the floor with him. I also think the Brooklyn Nets will be the front runner for reasons already stated. Either way, Lebron will have a chance to become the “King of New York”. The Cavs should know this better than anyone. They have 2 seasons to try and make his current situation too good to leave. I do think Lebron likes being so close to home, but it is a business. And he is a businessman and a competitor. The ball to me is in the court of the Cavs front office.
May 12th, 2008 at 11:54 am
Kobeef says:
It will be really interesting to watch NJ and NY jockey for players over the next two years.
NY has the front office edge so even with the Jay-Z connection the nets are not a lock. I predict in the next year:
- Marbury & David Lee will be traded for Jermaine O’Neal.
- Eddie Curry and Jermaine will be motivated and will play together at PF (O’Neal) and Centre (Curry)
- Knicks will get a high draft pick and use it wisely to bring in a starter (probably SF…Beasley?)
- NJ will trade Richard Jefferson for a bunch of young talents (like the Kidd deal)
- Carter and Harris will be a nice backcourt combo and NJ will eventually keep Harris.
May 12th, 2008 at 11:55 am
Myrie says:
Ahh….LeBron James in NY? Just wishful thinking; maybe. LeBron’s life goal is to be the 1st BILLIONAIRE athlete. That can be done in NY. Possibly can only be done in NY. NY is obvisouly getting ahead of themselves. But it is something to consider and start forecasting accordingly now.
Shaquille O’Neal left Orlando to go to Los Angeles not only to make more money and be an NBA center legend, but because Shaq thought he was a full entertainer (actor, rapper) and figured LA to be a better fit for what he wants in his life; other than just basketball. If LeBron talks to Shaq, Shaq’s advice will be to leave Cleveland and maximize your full potential in a large(est) market. That is called the “Shaquille” influence.
If LeBron wins a chip in Cleveland, no doubt he’s moving on. But the dude just had a sick home built for him on something like 50000 acres. I think he has his own zip code. You don’t do things like that unless you plan on staying. I mean, no one is going to buy that is he sells and moves to NY; not even Brady Quinn.
Even if LeBron leaves Cleveland and escapes to NY, his buddy Jay-Z (blow-the-whistle song was trash btw), part owner of the Nets, will have had the team relocated to Brooklyn by then. Good chance LeBron plays for the Brooklyn NY team….
May 12th, 2008 at 11:57 am
Myrie says:
PS
The Knicks are damn fools for hiring Mike D’Antoni over Mark ‘Action’ Jackson.
Damn foolish…
We still love ya Mark.
May 12th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
doc says:
He can keep that crib while he move.Somthing tells me he can afford it.But I can see him leaving because he aint from Cleveland he from Akron.Chester like 10 minutes away from Philly but everytime somebody say Jammeer from Philly on TV his hometown is pissed.But fuck the Knicks and Nets.Start this rumor up.20%ownership of the Sixers.Come on Lebron Ames.He’ll get that J right by 2010 too.
May 12th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
BxBaller says:
Once again, leave LeBron’s bitch ass in Ohio, NYC doesn’t want or need him.