Pistons free agent center Greg Monroe said Sunday he will meet with five teams this week, including the Knicks, and said he wants to play for a club “ready to win.’’ He also seemed to be campaigning to stay in his hometown.
Monroe, who is from Louisiana, said at his basketball clinic in New Orleans he’s looking for a two-year deal with an opt-out after one season to take advantage of the coming rise of the salary cap.
According to the Baton Rouge (La.) Advocate, Monroe will speak with the Knicks, Celtics, Bucks, and Blazers with the Pistons out of the picture. Free agency begins Wednesday.
“I’m looking to be with a team that’s ready to win,” Monroe told the newspaper. “Hopefully it will be a team where I’m the missing piece.”-NYPOST
Meanwhile, USA Today reports that the Mavericks, Lakers, and Knicks will join the Clippers in holding meetings with Jordan, while the Bucks unfortunately for the were unable to pique the big man's interest.
The 26-year-old free agent center who spent his first seven seasons with the Clippers is clearly giving serious thought to changing jerseys, as three people with knowledge of his situation said he is expected to meet with at least four teams — the Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks — in the first few days of free agency. The meetings are expected to take place in the Los Angeles office where Jordan's representatives, Dan Fegan and Happy Walters of Relativity Sports, are based. The people spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the process.
NJ.com
Jeremy Lin, who was the most celebrated athlete in New York in 2011 when he became a surprise starter with the Knicks and ignited "Linsanity," could be returning to New York during free agency.
The point guard, who, while playing for the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers, hasn't achieved the success he had in New York, could be a Knicks target as they look for inexpensive, short-term players to form a bridge to the future during a total rebuilding of the organization.
When he returned to the Garden with the Lakers in April, Lin played 24 minutes and scored just four points in a 92-80 loss.
"Every time I come back, I always have great memories," Lin said then. "I remember those great times. I'm always thankful. Coming back to New York with these fans at the Garden, that was very special to me and I'll always cherish that."
Caron Butler
After his release from the Milwaukee Bucks before July 1, Caron Butler has emerged as a candidate for the Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Clippers and San Antonio Spurs, a league source told RealGM.
The Lakers and New York Knicks also expect to make an inquiry on Butler, a 13-year NBA veteran who has averaged 14.3 points and 5.1 rebounds for his career.
David Aldridge & #10004;@daldridgetnt
An under the radar free agent will be Dallas' Al-Faroqu Aminu. Sked to visit NYK, BOS, POR, TOR & NOP, w/Mavs still in mix.
How the Knicks are nowadays no one knows what they are doing, there are no leaks..
Yeah that's cuz it's 1 year and they are stacked in the front court. In 2 years, an $8M salary equates to less than 1/10th of the salary. Paying a defensive force that plays 20-24 minutes a game that percentage of the cap is a solid deal.
This is a point I've been trying to get across, but you said it better. Get some guys on good contracts and you have assets and flexibility. Get the best player you can regardless of price and you have albatrosses.
Play one year on a max deal then opt out for a big raise. Could this become a trend in these negotiations for this crop of free agents?
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Yeah that's cuz it's 1 year and they are stacked in the front court. In 2 years, an $8M salary equates to less than 1/10th of the salary. Paying a defensive force that plays 20-24 minutes a game that percentage of the cap is a solid deal.
I am glad you are not handing out contracts.
Every single time there is a fast break the guard fouls..
I dont think we have heard anything about Aldridge's schedule either...I wonder if teams come to him like Deandre is doing or if he is going to go visit teams like Melo did...
That would be even better. I mean he is 22 years old. Debate Jordan averages 7 points and 7 rebounds a game at that age. His PER was 14.8 and his defensive rating was 105.
Biyombo had a PER of 15.2 and defensive rating of 99. 99! That's crazy! That's neary a kawhi-level rating. And plus he hasn't played anywhere near the amount of basketball Jordan has so there's hope that he will improve significantly over the next few years. He's just as offensively inept and a better FT shooter as Jordan. Having him on a deal 1/3 of what DJ is going to receive will be an absolute steal.
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I thought they would at least try, meet with him and then they get a no and move on...didnt expect the Knicks to give up already, unless they have already been told no...
Ehh oh well...
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Giantsfan44, again i like Bismack, and would welcome us signing him. My issue was that he is not worth 8 mill. I think he could be had for a 4/20 type deal. Maybe a bit more. Like id be thrilled if we added Monroe, Bismack, and Afflalo. I know the money prolly would be just a tad short, but you get the idea.
I'm not disagreeing with any of those points, and of course he is worse than Jordan on offense, but he is a better FT shooter, at least to the point where its not statistically sound to foul him. Looking at all the recent contending teams, there is always a guy that fits his description (Ezeli, Koufos, Baynes, Splitter, Birdman, etc.). We can go and argue how he is worse on offense than any of those guys but his defensive ratings and offensive rebounding rates ranks up with the best of those guys. In 2 years, a $6 million salary will be half what those guys made on a "cap inflation adjusted basis", if you will.
Also, when did we start saying "rim protection", which sounds vaguely sexual?
Greg Monroe is their best bet and I think he'll have better offers.
Or it could be that Al Jefferson picked up his option, they traded for Hawes, drafted Kaminsky, and could not find a taker for Zeller and Marvin Williams and now they have $30 million tied up into frontcourt players and it wouldn't make anymore sense to pay $5 million more for a guy who wouldn't fit their rotation...
Hornets situation is a little weird. AlJeff, Kaminsky, Zeller, Hawes, and Starvin' Marvin Williams all have guaranteed money from the MJs.
Greg Monroe is their best bet and I think he'll have better offers.
This isn't exactly the summer of 2010 anyway. Monroe was always the guy that's most likely to change teams, and it's not like everyone's in agreement that he's a franchise cornerstone that you HAVE to have. There may not be any true differencemakers in this crop.
Greg Monroe is their best bet and I think he'll have better offers.
A pessimistic view, but it's basically where I am too.
If they can't sign Aldrige, Love, Gasol or Monroe who are they going to pay money to?
And if they can't get anyone this summer why would next summer be any better?
Also it was reported Knicks told Porzingis they were going to draft him at his workout with the Knicks, which Melo attended, so you dont think he knew what the Knicks were going to do beforehand?
Melo ha sbeen at the practice facility rehabbing, you dont think him and Phil talk or him and Mills talk?
I highly highly doubt he was surprised by the pick...
Speaking of Lala... did anyone watch this week's episode of Power? Melo is a lucky man!
If they can't sign Aldrige, Love, Gasol or Monroe who are they going to pay money to?
And if they can't get anyone this summer why would next summer be any better?
Arent you a nets fan?
there are still plenty of talented players on the market...
David West is not a bad stop gap...
Wesley Matthews, Danny Green, Aaron Affalo, Jae Crowder, Demarre Carroll, Milsap, there are plenty of names on the FA market ..
The biggest difference between 2010 and now the Knicks already have their superstar on the roster, now they have to put a good team around him...
If they can't sign Aldrige, Love, Gasol or Monroe who are they going to pay money to?
And if they can't get anyone this summer why would next summer be any better?
It's probably better to start small anyway, IMO. If you want to make the team attractive to free agents, the first step is convincing people you actually have a plan instead of just throwing money around. Create something that looks like a basketball team and then shop for the missing pieces.
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The problem for the knicks is they have an entire roster to fill, an aging superstar who will be difficult to trade and a ton of money to spend.
If they can't sign Aldrige, Love, Gasol or Monroe who are they going to pay money to?
And if they can't get anyone this summer why would next summer be any better?
Arent you a nets fan?
there are still plenty of talented players on the market...
David West is not a bad stop gap...
Wesley Matthews, Danny Green, Aaron Affalo, Jae Crowder, Demarre Carroll, Milsap, there are plenty of names on the FA market ..
The biggest difference between 2010 and now the Knicks already have their superstar on the roster, now they have to put a good team around him...
That list is basically a whose who of guys who are going to get paid 10+ mil to be an average starter.
Plus who here has said the Knicks are going to sign gasol, aldridge, Jordan, or Love?
Pretty sure every Knicks fan on this site has said it is long shot for those guys but can still build a pretty good team for next year....
Signing all those guys is going to take up cap space and make the knicks a 28 win team.
Monroe is very important for them.
Signing all those guys is going to take up cap space and make the knicks a 28 win team.
Monroe is very important for them.
you do realize the Knicks will still have 20-25 million to spend next year right?
you do realize the Knicks will still have 20-25 million to spend next year right?
And they dont have a #1 next season. So a 28 win team isnt bad if they're moving in a direction where they can take a leap the next season with a max FA and the development of Porz.
So their going to max out Love and Thompson?
They need a prized free agent. I'm counting Monroe as one. If not, Demaree Carrol, Robin Lopez, etc these guys aren't helping the knicks land free agents down the line.
Just my opinion but if they can't get Monroe I think they're pretty screwed moving forward.
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The Cavaliers plan to extend Love a five-year maximum contract worth at least $110 million, according to Windhorst.
So their going to max out Love and Thompson?
I wonder how this works. Tristian Thompson and LeBron share an agent, and Lebron has been touting Thompson as a guy who should be a Cav for life.
If love got that deal, it's because LeBron okayed it.
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you do realize the Knicks will still have 20-25 million to spend next year right?
And they dont have a #1 next season. So a 28 win team isnt bad if they're moving in a direction where they can take a leap the next season with a max FA and the development of Porz.
No one knows how many gmaes they are going to win next year...
I think we all can agree they ar enot going to be competing for a championship...
but the goal should be playoffs and then go into next off season with a max slot hopefully and Porzingis and Grant improving another year...
Cleveland is going to have to buy a championship. Lebron and Love are going to get huge contract. They are going to have to pay TT. They are paying Kyrie over 15 million soon. And they need to fill out SG and bench spots.
Look, I said I was indifferent about him. If the deal was $5-7 million I would do it. If it was $9-10 million I wouldn't do it. It all depends on the deal. I forgot who said it (Deej?), but if you can give him a deal he can outperform, its a great move, especially when the cap is rising these next few years. Could a guy who didn't receive proper basketball training until he was 16 years old improve? I wouldn't bet against it.
And of course he has his flaws and thats why Charlotte decided to move on from him. But lets not act like Charlotte has been making smart, calculated moves all along. For one, they passed up on Winslow to get Kaminsky, so that shows that either 1.) They aren't well managed or 2.) If they felt that Kaminsky was better than Winslow, than they probably think hes going to be a better option at center than Zeller or Biyombo, so then theres no point in keeping Biyombo if they really think Frank is that good.
In addition, they traded a rookie who they had under contract for possibly for 4 more years for a wing that can easily bolt after 1 year. I'm not too high on Vonleh even being an IU fan, but how many times did a rookie vastly underperform his first year only to improve in subsequent years (McLemore, Henson, Harris, KCP, Porter just off the top of my head). So I don't think Charlotte's intention to let him walk necessarily means that he is a bust thats never gonna amount to anything.
The "wait for new TV money" thing doesnt make sense for some guys. Sure, for an allstar you want the higher max. And for guys getting squeezed out of a market because there isnt enough available UFA money just yet.
But wtf are the expectations of a guy like Monroe? If he gets a max it is because the cap is going up next season. He's not suddenly going to be worth $22+ million next year. He should take his 60/4 with an opt out and be happy and protected from injury. Whereas someone like Butler should wait.
ODB i am not arguing the Knicks might get shut out because shit they might, they might sign a bunch of role players to fill out the roster and try again next off season...
But i am willing to bet you do not think the Knicks re going to sign anyone because deep down your hoping the Knicks do not sign anyone right?