Zach Randolph, Renaldo Balkman and Nate Robinson to Cleveland for Ben Wallace and Damon Jones.

The first order of business has to be to get rid of Randolph. He's a talented player but I don't think he's the type of player you win with. His contract is an albatross and you have to clear his salary off the books by the summer of '10. Ben Wallace's deal is for slightly more money per year but comes off the books a year earlier during the same summer we've all been targeting to be under the cap by. Put him at the PF spot next to Curry and he may even be able to mask some of Curry's defensive problems.

Cleveland does this trade because it gets Damon Jones off the books and they get two young players in Balkman and Robinson. Nate and Jones are similar players but Robinson is cheaper and Balkman has potential. Randolph gives Cleveland another guy with the potential to score 20+.

Jamal Crawford and David Lee to Memphis for Kyle Lowry and Mike Miller plus a lottery protected pick

I think Memphis would do this but it's less likely than the first trade. With Conley and Crittendon, Kyle Lowry is expendable for the Grizz. I'm partially biased because of his Villanova ties but Lowry is the type of player the Garden would love. Lightening quick and tough as nails, he'd be the first true PG we've had since probably Marc Jackson. Mike Miller is shooting 43% for 3 this year and that's a huge area of need for this team. Another bonus is Miller's deal expires a year earlier than Crawford, that's right, just in time for the '10 summer.

Memphis would get a guy who would probably start at PF in Lee and put up conistent double doubles. They don't have a great rebounding team and Lee would fill that role. Crawford is a young, athletic 2 who could run with Conley and is younger and has more upside then Miller.

Looking at a pre-draft depth chart with a decent team but more importantly Jared Jeffries is the only guy who is signed on for longer than 3 years.

PG: Lowry, Jones
SG: Miller, Collins
SF: Q-Rich, Chandler, Jeffries
PF: Wallace, Rose
C: Curry, James

Did you throw those deals into the ESPN Trade Machine or something similar to determine if they meet the cap regulations?

I'd really rather not deal Lee, even though I understand he is a rare player on the Knicks with value. He's the only player who actually cares and I enjoy watching.

I don't care how bad they are the next few years if they get the cap situation fixed, so I am somewhat okay with that first deal from a cap standpoint, even though I want no part of Ben Wallace (I also wanted no part of Zach Randolph). I am only okay with it if your only purpose is to clear cap space because Wallace and Jones suck. I don't see Memphis making the deal you proposed. They are in clear cap mode too, so I am not sure they want to add the additional year. They'd rather deal Miller for picks. They do have a young point guard surplus, as you pointed out.

By the way, the team you came up with is not a decent team unless they somehow add someone like Derrick Rose. That team would also suck, which is fine with me, if the goal is clearly cap room.

Someone tell the Knicks to keep losing games. First they beat Orlando, now they are killing Detroit. Way to mess up the draft situation. They can't do anything right.

Knicks

Absolutely, Positively the Worst Team in the History of Professional Sports
A eulogy for Isiah Thomas's New York Knickerbockers.

* By Jeff Coplon
* Published Apr 6, 2008


A s the Knicks wind down their seventh-straight losing season, a biblical drought of ineptitude and ill grace, all hands seem ready to bail. The owner, the cable-TV scion with the bully’s temper and sad goatee, is rarely seen in his baseline seat. The $9 million–a–year milquetoast center cannot live with the $13 million nightclubbing power forward, who in turn can’t wait to be traded. The $20 million prodigal point guard, hobbled by foot surgery and a gangrenous attitude, sits embittered in a big house in Purchase—just a full-court heave from the home of his coach and erstwhile father figure, to whom he is now dead. And that $6 million coach counts the days like a guest at Guantánamo as he waits for an older, wiser head to end his misery.

Yeah I used trade checker and both work out. I'd love to keep Lee too but I have a feeling what's going to have to happen is we'll have to package him with Randolph to get rid of Z-Bo. I don't think Memphis realistically think they have a shot at landing someone from that super free agent class so an extra year of Crawford I don't think would matter for them. I'm sure they'd rather deal Miller for picks but how many contenders have that kind of cap space?

And don't mistake me for a Jones or Ben Wallace fan. I think Jones is barely and NBA caliber player and Wallace is way past his prime. Although I do think he's the type of player that you would have to have to win with Curry at center. Wallace could play D and rebound and let Curry just have to hit 3 footers. Would be a helluva player if you could combine them but playing next to each other they at least bring different things to the table.

And you're right, that's still probably a lottery team. But add two consecutive good drafts plus the cap room and at least it's a team with a long term plan.

You racist son of a bitch.

Where is Strider and his Yankees clown cap when you need him?