Knicks Could Deal David Lee
Donnie Walsh is committed to shipping Zach Randolph as far away from New York as possible. And he’s using David Lee as the vessel to get Z-Bo out there.
“Unfortunately, it’s something completely out of my hands,” Lee said. “Teams are calling and if they have a chance to make the franchise better and need to trade you along with someone they need to get rid of, they’d be dumb not to entertain offers. It’s a compliment, but it makes my life, my summer a little shaky not knowing what’s going to happen.”
But that isn’t to say that Lee hasn’t influenced his possible destinations. On draft night, the Knicks were reportedly working a deal with the Grizzlies for the No. 5 pick, but Lee told his agent that he would never sign a long-term deal in Memphis.
Lee did not deny his agent, Mark Bartlestein, before the draft advised Memphis not to trade for him because the Knicks gritty forward would never sign a long-term contract with the Grizzlies.
Lee has clearly expressed interest in staying in the Big Apple. With Walsh and Mike D’Antoni desperate to be rid of Zach, Lee’s days could be numbered. Or he could just keep saying that he won’t sign a long-term deal elsewhere.
Should the Knicks deal Lee in order to get rid of Randolph?
Source: NY Post
July 14th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Dime Magazine says:
If it can be helped, I’d say no. Lee is one of those guys who makes up the foundation of every good team you’ve ever seen - dude plays his ass off, hits the glass, can play more than one position, doesn’t need plays run for him to be effective, etc. And he would be really good in D’Antoni’s system because he can run the floor.
- PC
July 14th, 2008 at 9:15 am
todd says:
Lee, that ain’t cool.
Ship Zach’s fat ass out!!!
July 14th, 2008 at 9:18 am
dj ho says:
no because lee is one of the few players that can rebound and play defense. he would fit d’antoni’s system.
I reckon you can get rid of Randolph to a team like the clippers. He won’t suit d’antoni’s system but in the right team he’d be quite valuable.
July 14th, 2008 at 9:18 am
shake&bake says:
Lee is the type of player that the Knicks need. He doesn’t care about scoring and plays hard every night. I guess if they really want to get rid of Randolph, then maybe they don’t have an option.
July 14th, 2008 at 9:20 am
Justice says:
mannn i don’t know anymore, but we gotta do something fast…
July 14th, 2008 at 9:23 am
BillBlaze says:
yo for real lee is a beast but obviously D’antoni has NEVER liked him in the first place. if he did and picked him instead of robinson when with suns then he might be wearing a ring today. david lee is a legit 12/12 guy so they’ll be making some franchise real happy
peace im out like sasha’s D!!!!!!!
July 14th, 2008 at 9:23 am
nerditry says:
Yeah, but Lee was on D’Antoni’s “To Be Traded” list regardless of enabling a deal to get rid of Zach. If he’s not going to get the proper time and they just drafted Gallinari at his position, why not?
Think of teams that can use major front court help and this feels like a deal that could be made with the Clips.
July 14th, 2008 at 9:25 am
fallinup says:
Walsh would be dumb to move Lee just to get rid of Zach. nuff said.
July 14th, 2008 at 9:26 am
Big V says:
“Should the Knicks deal Lee in order to get rid of Randolph?”
What kind of retarded question is that? Is that to mean that by dealing Randolph, we get a positive that offsets the departure of Lee? Of course not. You can’t ask a question like that without knowing what the upside would be. The way I see it, getting rid of both Lee and Randolph amount to two negatives.
July 14th, 2008 at 9:27 am
Big V says:
Also, there’s no way D’Antoni can try and ship Curry and justify the acquisition of Shaq last season.
July 14th, 2008 at 9:27 am
A-Slam says:
you know who Lee reminds me alot of, Former NBA’er Bobby Jones, The dude just works his ass off every night and scraps and defends like very few that come in to this league. Many play for money but David Lee just flat out loves the game of basketball
July 14th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Logan Light says:
ABSOLUTELY.
Does anyone here really think that Coach D can work with Z-Bo who is just as slow up and down the court as Shaq? It hurts to cut loose D-Lee because of his hustle and fan following, but you got to get what you can out of Randolph quickly!
July 14th, 2008 at 9:40 am
the_baconator says:
absolutely not. obviously the knicks need to lose z-bo, but they can’t give up d-lee. he’s really one of the only players knicks fan like. he also hustles like hell and rebounds his butt off. maybe try and trade both z-bo and eddy curry, or possibly z-bo and steph for a franchise-type player? but they can’t touch david lee
July 14th, 2008 at 9:54 am
Luigi says:
man Lee is a man. the only man on the Knicks but i dont kno about the knicks so ppl dont judge me
if Z bo had 2 go bring him to the spurs n let Pop disipline his ass n if he doesnt he’ll make some deep threats like YOULL NEVER PLAY IN THIS LEAGUE AGAIN! oh well
but seriously the knicks should let everyone go xcept
Ganilari
Nate
Lee
Balkman
JC
Chandler
July 14th, 2008 at 9:56 am
Knickhopeful says:
Meanwhile, we still got Eddieoff Curry….
July 14th, 2008 at 10:22 am
yallallreadyknow says:
Mikey D only has an offensive system….
Zach Randolph fits PERFECTLY into d’antoni’s defensive system.
so for all you fools whom talk about system, consider zach and eddy and all the non defensive players on the knicks….they all fit his defensive philosophy.
no need to trade david lee. coaches always want the type of player david lee is. why would you trade him?
if another team wants him, tell ‘em go suck themselves
July 14th, 2008 at 10:23 am
sans says:
what about Varejao and Joe Smith’s expiring contract for Z-Bo? Give David Lee the room, give Lebron soft hands to pass to, clear cap space when Varejao opts out this year or next, and continue their chase for Lebron, Dwade, or Bosh. But the Knicks do not want to help the Cavs in any way, shape, or form.
What about Ron Artest and Spencer Hawes for Z-Bo? Zach is a really nice player when their is an offensive system…which the Knicks did not have these last years. Does that mean that the Pistons didn’t have a system under Chuck Daley, since Isiah didn’t learn shit from his coaching?
July 14th, 2008 at 10:32 am
Myrie says:
Unless you are getting an all star caliber player in return, the Knicks should not consider trading David Lee.
David Lee should have been the starter two years ago at PF (over Channing Frye) and the Knicks would have made the 7th seed for the playoffs. He meshes better with a low post, back-to-the-basket center like Eddy Curry. He compliments Curry; except that David Lee doesn’t block a lot of shots.
If the offer is Zach Randolph and David Lee to LA Clips for Tim Thomas, Cuttino Mobley and TWO future 1st round picks….the Knicks still shouldn’t do it. However, knowing the Clips….one of those picks are sure to be a lottery pick!
July 14th, 2008 at 10:32 am
Big V says:
Since when is defense a part of D’Antoni’s “system”? Give me a break.
July 14th, 2008 at 10:33 am
Truth says:
@sans
I agree with your trade propositions. I know Zach can’t stay with the knicks. He don’t fit, neither does Curry.
July 14th, 2008 at 10:33 am
Big V says:
Tim Thomas + Cuttino Mobley = Two Bums
July 14th, 2008 at 10:34 am
Andrew says:
Why couldn’t Lee just shut his mouth and pretend that he’ll sign a long-term deal somewhere else, and then just come back to the Knicks after his contract expires at the end of next season?
July 14th, 2008 at 10:42 am
yallallreadyknow says:
big v(agina?)
July 14th, 2008 at 10:47 am
Truth says:
@yallallreadyknow
LMAO Post 23
July 14th, 2008 at 10:53 am
Big V says:
Easy, homo.
July 14th, 2008 at 10:53 am
doc says:
I wouldnt get rid of Lee.Dudes like that scrap for them W’s.
July 14th, 2008 at 11:07 am
Truth says:
@Doc
you gotta have an attractive peice to get rid of Randolph though, matter fact if I was the knicks I would try and unload Zach and Eddy if possible. Them dudes is GARBAGE!!
July 14th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Ocka says:
Pleeeeeeease include Nate Robinson in a deal.
July 14th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
yallallreadyknow says:
how about these (serious) trade scenarios for you knick lovers:
stephon marbury (to brooklyn) nets for marcus williams and nachbar
zach randolph, jared jeffries and nate robinson to indiana for jammal tinsley, troy murphy and kareem rush
eddy curry to sacramento for brad miller
quentin richardson to philly for draft picks
July 14th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Truth says:
@yallallreadyknow
the first one (yeah)
after that hell no, hell no and yep to the last one
July 14th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
BillBlaze says:
@yallallreadyknow
nice trade ideas but im pretty sure tinsley got bought out
July 14th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
JC says:
Hahaaa I like how Lee was sure that he wasn’t a player that the Knicks needed to get rid of, but more of a valuable trade commodity. I say bring him to the Bulls somehow. You can never have enough new school Gators on the roster. (Haslem, Lee, Horford, not J-Will, Andrew DeClerq lol)
July 14th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Homeless J says:
Would it be completely insane for the Clippers to trade for Z-Bo and Lee and then have Moneybags Sterling buy out Z-Bo’s contract and just keep Lee as the Clippers’ starting pf?
highly unlikely maybe, but weirder things have happened.
July 14th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Big V says:
Homeless,
Who would they trade to get Randolph/Lee? I also don’t think that they’d give up much in order to just eventually buy out a contract and get Lee, and I think the initial offer which was refused by the Knicks might be all they’re willing to deal. Cat and TT ain’t gonna cut it.
July 14th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Homeless J says:
you’re probably right. But the clips are the only ones with cap room (besides the grizzlies, who don’t seem to be spending theirs this year) who could give up a rookie contract and take back a ton of contract money in return if they wanted to. Giving up a mediocre bum with a small, possibly expiring contract and like a draft pick or something for a cancer with a giant contract in Randolph and an extremely solid player with starter potential at their biggest need spot in Lee. plus isn’t this the type of situation that can net somebody a huge trade exception, which in itself is valuable?
It sounds pretty outlandish, especially more so than when I first thought it up, but in my opinion, it’s not that much more outlandish than assuming there’s someone in the league who wants to trade for zach straight-up.
July 14th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
Zach says:
This might sound far fetched but i think Joe D could pull it off. Z-Bo and Lee for a Sheed and picks deal. Sheed is an expiring contract (which the knicks need desperately) I’m not real big on Z-Bo (even tho he went to MSU) but I think Lee would fit the Dee-troit mold perfectly and Z could be huge with real veteran influences to follow. I’m not positive but I think depending on what went with Sheed the numbers could work pretty easily. Anyone know for sure? Can anyone see Joe D pullin this off?