First of all, I understand the Knicks are interested
in getting Lebron James. They've made that abundantly clear with the two trades
they pulled off on Friday.

The first sent top scorer Jamal Crawford to the
Warriors for Al Harrington. This trade got a disgruntled Harrington off a team
that didn't use him and sent him to a team where he will be a valuable asset. The
Knicks will be able to utilize him from the two through five postions and will
work well in Mike D'Antoni's system. That said, the Knicks didn't need to part
with their top scorer Jamal Crawford. Sources initially reported that Malik Rose
would be swapped for Harrington but the Warriors refused that offer. It is at this
point the Knicks officially gave up on this season and the next season.
Harrington's contract expires after the 09-10 season while Crawford had options
through the 10-11 season. Overall this freed up around ten million of cap space
for the 10' offseason. The Knicks decided Crawford was expendable he was simply a
big contract in the way of King James.

But the fire sale didn't end there.
Instead they continued to burn by sending Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins to the
Clippers for Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley. Both quality players but in no way a
means to a successful season. Another example of contract shaving. Mobley and
Thomas have deals that expire after the 09-10 season freeing up another twenty
million in cap space.

Before I continue, I want to make it clear, I have
no problem with Lebron James going to New York, I just have a huge problem with
the way they are going about it.

The Knicks are a solid team this year and
had a chance to snag the seventh or eight spot in the each with a little more luck
and teamwork. Harrington for Rose would have boosted the Knicks to a borderline
playoff team. But as always to New York teams playoffs don't mean anything unless
it comes with the championship. By completing these trades to free up cap space,
all that matters is the 2010 offseason. They've already given up on this year and
next year. If this fire sale had taken place same time next year, I would have to
problem. Giving up one season to make a run at free agents is acceptable. Not two.
Not when your team isn't half bad either. I find it offensive that the Knicks can
thrown in the towel 150 games before the 2010 free agency period.

Now,
what are the Knicks planning to do with this newfound cap space. Well try to sign
Lebron James (obviously) but they'll also go after other top free agents, such as
Chris Bosh, Steve Nash, Amar'e Stoudamire and Dwayne Wade. If they Knicks were
able to sign any two or three of them they would be a force to be reckoned with.
The only problem is what if they don't?

The Knicks will have only five
players under contract for the 2010 season and assuming another two high draft
picks from the almost certain abysmal seasons their about to have. The Knicks will
have about fifty or sixty million available for five players. (This assumes the
Knicks will not go over by cap by too much) They could conceiveably give max deals
to Lebron and Bosh and a large deal to Nash. Then pick up a couple of veterans for
the league minimum. If all goes well they'll win 65 games and the NBA
Championship in 2010.

Yeah, if all goes well. Well, a lot could go wrong.
The focus is of course Lebron, and another future New York team could be more
appealing. The Nets will have plenty of cap room to sign Lebron while also in the
midst of moving to Brooklyn. Nets have a wealth of young talent while the Knicks
are trying to free themselves from anyone who makes more than three hundred a
week. Also the Knicks roster will be extremely spartan and not very appealing to
Lebron who will desire some semblance of talent to accompany him.

So what
if Lebron doesn't sign with the Knicks? Then the Knicks have destroyed their
franchise for a future ten years, possibly more screwed up than it already is.
They'd probably resign Marbury and pay him to do cartwheels while the fans throw
tomatoes at the front office managers.

To conclude briefly. The Knicks are
putting an awful lot of faith in their ability to sign Lebron, and if they can't
they might as well just forfeit the next ten seasons.

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