Die hard fans of the Knicks may not want to read this article. While the moves made at the end of the trade deadline cleared even more room to be a major factor this summer, it did not guarantee we will see Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, or Chris Bosh calling MSG their home next season.
For nearly two seasons, Knicks management has been strategically making moves, unloading salaries, and mortgaging draft picks away to have plenty of cap space for the summer of 2010. While King James is clearly the top free agent draw, there are other great talents available, such as Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, and Joe Johnson.
It is, however, completely possible, that the Knicks wind up not landing Lebron, Wade, or Chris Bosh. Should the Cavs go on to win the NBA title as built, would James really leave? If they fall short of making the Eastern Confernce Finals(upset in 2nd round by Celtics/Hawks), then the Lebron leaving talks might catch steam. What the Knicks have to realize though is of the very bad teams out there, they aren’t the only team that has a shot to lure Lebron away from Cleveland. The Clippers, on paper, have just as good a shot at offering Lebron a winning chance as the Knicks. My gut still tells me he goes nowhere regardless.
Then you have D-Wade. Wade knows the Heat want to keep him there, and want to pair him up with a top flight big man(Carlos Boozer and Amare Stoudemire both want to be there). My gut says Wade resigns in Miami, and gets either Boozer or Amare to join him. Miami will add a few other role players and be just fine going into next season.
Chris Bosh has had an incredible season thus far, but mainstream media never pays attention to him in Toronto. I think Bosh leaving Toronto is 50/50 at best, but he doesn’t strike me as one that would want to play in the bright lights of New York City. I could see Bosh opting for Jay-Z’s Nets if he left Canada at all.
So if the Knicks went 0 for 3 with the big 3, what do they do? Joe Johnson, the Hawks star guard, will be looking for that big contract this summer. Do the Hawks let Joe walk and place Jamal Crawford in the starting lineup? Johnson knows Mike D’Antoni from their days in Phoenix together, and may be enticed to head up north.
New York would then have to decide whether or not they make a run for Amare Stoudemire/Carlos Boozer(whichever doesn’t sign with Miami), or give David Lee the big deal he has wanted. On my scenario, I say the Knicks make a run at Amare. Would Stoudemire leave Steve Nash in the desert for a chance to team up with Joe Johnson in NYC, if the money was the same? I’m not sold on that.
There is, of course, the slight possibility that the Knicks could land both Dwyane Wade and Lebron James alongside a big man like David Lee this summer. Do I think that will happen? Keep dreaming, Knicks fans.
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