"From everyone I've talked to in the know since then, it's clear that the Knicks were the first choice," Simmons explained. "It was basically the Knicks' to lose, and they just couldn't stay out of their own way. The stories are legendary."
According to Simmons, before opting to sign with the Miami Heat and form a big three with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, James wouldn't even grant the Knicks a second meeting after a first meeting that Simmons called a "disaster."
"Dolan was Dolan," Simmons said about Knicks owner James Dolan. "They didn't have anything prepared. It just couldn't have gone worse by all accounts. It was a disaster. I think at that point, combined with the decade the Knicks just had, I think those guys were just like 'f--k it.'"
Link - (
New Window )
Quote:
us Curry, Melo, and Bargnani. Sounds fantastic. I am getting flashbacks of the 90s/00s Knicks teams killing their cap space by trading for names instead of players. We'll see what happens but forgive me if I am not jumping for joy with what has been rumored so far.
Leon may have pushed to get Eddy Curry and Bargs to NY, but it wasn't Leon that didn't protect the picks in the Curry trade or gave up a first rounder for Bargs.
Yeah plus that only proves rose’s abilities as an agent. Honestly I’m going to take this as a positive that the guy can make shit happen. Hopefully he can now help the Knicks take advantage of someone else. That would be a first...
Simmons is not the type of guy to bullshit, his podcast is not really the same as sports talk radio, and I've been chiming into the redraftable series and what not.
He's probably right on both accounts and probably has decent sources, and it sounds incredibly believable.
Not sure how someone could read this and blow it off like there isn't a morsel of truth in it.
What better way to validate your rumors by saying Lebron really did want to go to msg.... sure he did.
Come the fuck on lol.
The Knicks were long the place agents and teams knew were suckers for bad contracts. One thing the Knicks have gotten right in recent years...no more stupid deals that eat up cap space.
Now that just have to hire a coach who’s not a putz and figure out how to develop guys into NBA players. 2 things they haven’t been able to do for 20 years.
As for this story, I’ve never believed the Lebron wanted NY story. Screw Bill Simmons.
A good friend was working for the Heat at the time, and she told me 2 days before the decision that LeBron was coming to Miami along with Bosh and Wade. I told her she was full of shit. Joke was on me
And yes Dolan was the one guy that could mess up a wet dream, so I'll give his story 2% chance of being true
Yup she told me she actually heard from someone from CAA, not from within the Heat. There was a extreme level of secrecy around it all.
"No great loss" ????
Did you not see what happened last off-season? Randle, Portis, Gibson, Ellington, Payton are about 60 million worth of stupid deals....
I don't think this is necessarily a fair take. These deals all involve team options and don't hamstring their ability to do things in the near or long term.
Closest one to a bad deal would be Randle, but hardly an immovable contract, and a cheap team opt-out after next season.
Those moves didn't get them anything, but trying to add some level of talent / veteran presence / toughness to the mix for 2019-2020 around RJ / Mitch / Frank was at least noble on paper.
Cap space doesn't roll over, and it ain't my money. I won't laud the front office for last season by any stretch, but it doesn't even hit the radar insofar as historical Knicks-level-stupidity is concerned, in my opinion.
Did you not see what happened last off-season? Randle, Portis, Gibson, Ellington, Payton are about 60 million worth of stupid deals....
+5000. Last off-season was an absolute clusterfuck
Quote:
Randle, Portis, Gibson, Ellington, Payton are about 60 million worth of stupid deals....
I don't think this is necessarily a fair take. These deals all involve team options and don't hamstring their ability to do things in the near or long term.
Closest one to a bad deal would be Randle, but hardly an immovable contract, and a cheap team opt-out after next season.
Those moves didn't get them anything, but trying to add some level of talent / veteran presence / toughness to the mix for 2019-2020 around RJ / Mitch / Frank was at least noble on paper.
Cap space doesn't roll over, and it ain't my money. I won't laud the front office for last season by any stretch, but it doesn't even hit the radar insofar as historical Knicks-level-stupidity is concerned, in my opinion.
They were bad deals that proved they had no "plan" and filled the roster with very limited upside veterans to the detriment of the younger players. You don't need 5-6 of these guys. Taj Gibson? Sure. But you don't need to add Gibson, Ellington, Portis, Bullock AND Payton. Marcus Morris was fine because it was clear he'd have mid-season trade value but in addition to all of the other mediocrity = made no sense.
What a douchebag.
He's probably right here though lol.
Quote:
I’m gonna go with my gut and say that Simmons is full of shit. Simmons was one of the jerkoffs that just knew Lebron was gojng to the Knicks. And then the real world said nope, sorry there Bill, you have no real sources and your made up rumor was bullshit.
What better way to validate your rumors by saying Lebron really did want to go to msg.... sure he did.
Yes, Bill Simmons is trying to cover his ass.... 10 years later....
Come the fuck on lol.
You don't think reporters will do this from time to time? Living under a rock?
I don't even care, what's done is done, but if you truly believe that Lebron woke up one day thinking it's NY Knicks or bust, then left the interview saying no way to MSG, I don't know what to tell you, but that's unlikely how it went down.
Who do you think was a better fit for a superstar player like LeBron? Probably the guy who coached Magic, personified NBA success and had DWade's trust already.
If he's there and the best available PG I really hope the Knicks don't get all paranoid of players from France because of Weiss/Frank and pass on him. Every player should be treated differently.
You may be right about LeBron never seriously considering NYK, but he had no need far any leverage.
Did you not see what happened last off-season? Randle, Portis, Gibson, Ellington, Payton are about 60 million worth of stupid deals....
Oh I agree last off-season was a waste. Difference is, only Randles deal (terrible) goes beyond this coming year...unless I’m forgetting someone?
Quote:
odd not to do due dillegence but the Cavs apparently have told Killian Hayes agent they will not consider a guard with their lotto pick and will only be speaking to forwards/centers.
If he's there and the best available PG I really hope the Knicks don't get all paranoid of players from France because of Weiss/Frank and pass on him. Every player should be treated differently.
He's #2 on my personal "board".
I don't know if this is Bill trying to needle us fans. Hey Bill, we know we suck. We've sucked for going on 20 years.
I don't know if this is Bill trying to needle us fans. Hey Bill, we know we suck. We've sucked for going on 20 years.
Alan Hahn said that from what he heard Lebrons team really respected Walsb and thw whole wheelchair thing was bs..
Said Lebron was intrigued by what dantoni proposed and his system that he was going to build around him...
Problem was Lebron was not sure if they could be a championship contender and not sure who was going to be his running mate..
Was also nervous that Walsh would retire because he was older and not ajre who would take over..
Then once the heat came in with the offer of 3 max guys it was over...
I still maintain if Melo was a free agent, melo and bron would of been in new york and wade and bosh would of been in miami..
Sooner or later, the worm has to turn right? Whoever ends up leading the Knicks to a title will be a legend in NYC forever. Forever. I was hoping it would be KD, but alas.
Sooner or later, the worm has to turn right? Whoever ends up leading the Knicks to a title will be a legend in NYC forever. Forever. I was hoping it would be KD, but alas.
Someone is going to make that jump, hipefully soon
Thibs HC with Atkinson and Woody??
LeBron was so fucking good as a player and entity that he basically told them “I’m gonna check my options; I’m definitely heavily considering joining you.” Nothing more, nothing less. He checked out his options and I think the Bulls and Knicks were the two markets he really wanted to be sold on, with the Knicks clearly having a lead due to being MSG/NYC and the shadow of MJ in CHI and the optics of leaving Cleveland for CHI. The Bulls clearly destroyed the Knicks during the interview process. Who knows what % of that is because of Dolan being Dolan, Walsh looking unreliable, or D-Rose looking like a future superstar. It probably all played a role. But it was clear at the time and it’s clear now that the Knicks’ pitch was weak as fuck.
If everything is equal or close, I still think he was coming to the Knicks. Same with Kyrie and Durant. But the Knicks are just such a fucking mess they can’t even get “close” to equal especially as marketing options become less dependent on local market size for elite athletes.
Hopefully with maybe one of these young assistants they can steal away
They are doing exactly what alan hahn sakd they were going to do, throw money around and try and get top guys in the front office..
Rose did something no other new president has done, rebuilt the front office
Dolan is killing us. As long as he's the owner, I don't think top players are going to play for the Knicks.
Dolan is killing us. As long as he's the owner, I don't think top players are going to play for the Knicks.
If knicks were winning no one would give a crap aboit dolan..
You do not necassarily need someone to come, the knkcms just have to shoe promise..
Hopefully for once they habe a competent front office and hopefully WWW has enough pull behind the scenes and respect that it counteracts dolan..
Quote:
If LBJ had come to The Garden & won titles, his legend would be even greater than it is now, which is hard to believe.
Sooner or later, the worm has to turn right? Whoever ends up leading the Knicks to a title will be a legend in NYC forever. Forever. I was hoping it would be KD, but alas.
Someone is going to make that jump, hipefully soon
Someone with balls and a huge competitive spirit. Unlike LeBron or Durant.