NBA Trade Rumor: Renaldo Balkman to the Nuggets
Do you remember Isiah Thomas‘ justification for picking Renaldo Balkman, a largely unheard of forward from South Carolina with the 20th selection in the ‘06 draft? He said that if he didn’t grab Balkman, the Suns were going to nab him with the next pick. (The Suns chose Rajon Rondo, who was of course traded to Beantown.)
Well if that were the case, then why would one of Mike D’Antoni’s first orders of business as the Knicks coach be to send Renaldo Balkman out of town? That’s the rumor floating around New York: Balkman to Denver in exchange for Taurean Green and Bobby Jones. Upon arriving in the Big Apple, Green and Jones would promptly be cut, giving the Knicks $1.32 million in cap space that they wouldn’t otherwise have.
So that’s essentially trading Balkman for nothing but a bag of change. Back in ‘06, ‘Zeke must have been covering his back when he said that the Suns coveted the 6-7 small forward.
The Knicks are overloaded at small forward with the addition of first-round pick Danilo Gallinari, and Balkman also became expendable because he lacks the savvy and quick decision-making required by D’Antoni’s system.
That’s the same system that he employed in Phoenix. Just imagine the doo-doo face Isiah’s making right now.
Source: Newsday
July 28th, 2008 at 11:02 am
Celts Fan says:
Bobby Jones is wicked under-rated. The guy’s a poor man’s James Posey. He’s big and can defend. Please God let the Celts grab him if they do cut him. A young, cheap, and hard-working defender. Don’t get why he keeps bouncing around…
July 28th, 2008 at 11:03 am
Rigorskie says:
the nuggets sure can use his defense and hustle. still waiting for a blockbuster trade though
July 28th, 2008 at 11:14 am
doc says:
Why dont they just cut Balkman then?
July 28th, 2008 at 11:23 am
fiyaman says:
Balkman’s contract is garuanteed if they cut him they stil have to pay him not the same for the other 2 non-guaranteed
July 28th, 2008 at 11:33 am
Justice says:
oh ok not bad then as long as we don’t get anymore players,i like balkman i played against him in high school he was actually a offensive force lol…phuck it though we must improve..
July 28th, 2008 at 11:33 am
wanabballer says:
Why not just trade him and jerome james for a pick from the Hawks?
July 28th, 2008 at 11:39 am
doc says:
got you fiya
July 28th, 2008 at 11:53 am
YOUNGFED says:
NEXT!!!!!
This is news why?
July 28th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
MoxWestCoastRep says:
Wait, the Suns could have had Rondo??? Damn!
July 28th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Kobeef says:
@youngfed
You’re just jealous that dime beat you to the punch!
Didn’t Denver just sign Bobby jones to a deal? After the Cammby trade I figured someone was losing it in Denver but this is just bizarre. Don’t they have Yakhouba Diwara (sp?) to be play the defensive minded SF role?
July 28th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
dagwaller says:
fiya drops knowledge
July 28th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
the_baconator says:
its good they won’t keep tauren green. that’d make our 5th point guard\
on a serious note, why not throw z-bo and curry in and actually make a trade for something good? what are we going to do with $1.32 mil, sign dikembe mutumbo?
July 28th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
dagwaller says:
No, they need to use that money to re-sign Jerome James, then feed him.
July 28th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Homeless J says:
1.32 mil wouldn’t even buy Jerome’s breakfast.
July 28th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
dagwaller says:
I reeeeally want camp to start with Jerome James lurking around the locker room (in a suit), and whenever money or contract issues come up, for him to come up to the guy and say, “That’s JeROME’s money, b****!” Then just kind of stomp away.
July 28th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
slicrick says:
LMAO!! That doodoo pic of isaiah thomas works EVERYTIME LOL
July 28th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
weezy f says:
the traDE just became official
DENVER, July 28, 2008 — The Denver Nuggets have acquired forward Renaldo Balkman and cash considerations from the New York Knicks in exchange for guard Taurean Green, forward Bobby Jones and a 2010 second round draft pick
July 28th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
dagwaller says:
Cash considerations? Tell Donnie Walsh that that’s JeROME’s money, b****!
July 28th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
daQueSt?oN says:
wtf! i dont want renaldo balkman, this team just gets worse, but i gotta give a lil props for the nuggets gm trying to make this team defensive but that camby trade sucked
July 28th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
ERIC says:
I don’t see why the Knicks traded Balkman. Donnie Walsh needs to increase fan/city morale for the Knicks and Balkman was a crowd favorite, hustler. Saving $1.5 million doesnt do ish for this team. Why not actually rid of ZBo or Curry to save serious cash.