There is a growing sentiment among opposing team executives that at the very least the Knicks will sign Atlanta's Joe Johnson, whose agent, Arn Tellem, orchestrated the Tracy McGrady trade to the Knicks and has been friends with Walsh for 20 years. It's called a "wink-wink deal," and even though it is against NBA rules, the practice does exist and is nearly impossible to police. "I think that's a done deal," said one Eastern Conference GM.
Despite New York Knicks' ninth consecutive losing season, Mike D'Antoni sees turning point ahead
This is interesting for a couple of reasons. For one, Johnson is often cited as a Plan B for the Clippers (though I don't like the idea of giving him an expensive long term contract). For another, if indeed there's a "wink-wink deal" for Johnson, it would mean that the Knicks couldn't pair LeBron with Wade or Bosh - they would be pairing LeBron with Johnson. Right off the top of my head, I say that makes little sense. They're both wings who are best with the ball in their hands. But the more Clipper-centric question has to do with whether LeBron would be enamored of that pairing. Would LeBron+JJ+Gallinari+a bunch of nothing be more attractive than LeBron+Baron+EJ+Griffin+Kaman? I can't see how. To my mind the Knicks are a threat to land LeBron if they can somehow convince another mega-star (read Wade or Bosh) to join him. If not, I don't see why LeBron would put himself through that.
4 months ago
Steve Perrin
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Not to toot my horn, but I've been calling this
I think NY expects LeBron to stay in Cleveland, and Wade to stay in Miami. Joe Johnson makes perfect sense, and he is a former D’Antoni guy.
Wouldn’t be surprised if the picked up Amare, too, although they will probably go after Bosh first. If they can’t get either, I’m sure they will settle for re-signing David Lee.
Now as far as the backroom deal, doesn’t surprise me. That’s the way things get done lately.
Do not worry. (Matthew 6:27)
Picking up Amare and Johnson
has a “let’s get the gang back together” feel for D’Antoni.
by Michael White on Mar 12, 2010 3:53 PM PST up reply actions
yeah...
I’m told that neither D’Antoni nor Amare want that particular reunion though.
In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. - Elwood P. Dowd
by Steve Perrin on Mar 12, 2010 3:55 PM PST up reply actions
That "band" reached the Western Conference Finals
Just sayin’. I know D’Antoni didn’t love Amare, but they were effective together.
Bosh will be the target big, though.
Do not worry. (Matthew 6:27)
THAT would be sweet
If the Clips get lucky in the lottery, they should consider “settling” for Childress.
But if Lebron chooses to come at that point, we’ll have to consider trading Turner. I wonder what we might get for him? Since we’d have to do it in a hurry, we might have to go way under market value. I’d rather lose the lottery, in that case.
"i know huh........freakin clippers man.....its like a wild ride rooting for this team....gotta love em....(sometimes) lol" In GrIfFin We TrUsT
Do you have a reason to believe that Childress is particularly "gettable"?
Not sure how we can chalk him up as a backup plan, since he’s currently in Europe. Wouldn’t we have to convince him that it would be a good move to leave the Continent to come play for Sterling and the Clippers?
by Michael White on Mar 12, 2010 4:40 PM PST up reply actions
He's entering the last year of his deal in Europe
with the uncertainty with the CBA this might be Childress last chance for a long term big money NBA deal. Greece’s economy is really awful right now so I’m thinking that team might be cutting back as well. We can offer his a longer term deal PLUS we can offer more than the MLE. I think a 7-8/yr deal can get him. That leaves us enough room to resign some of our FAs (Steve Blake perhaps).
FA in 2010.
by ClipperChuck on Mar 12, 2010 5:13 PM PST up reply actions
Wrong Before Hope I'm Wrong Again
I see NO WAY LeBron becomes a Clipper. If his ultimate goal is a global name, he has that in Cleveland now. If he wants to ‘take it to the next level’, what PR guy in his right mind would suggest that hitching his star to the tarnish on Sterling would be a good idea?
LeBron & The Clips
As has been talked about over and over. We’re a great candidate on paper for LeBron. Big city, very nices pieces to pair with him.
The problem: Our image around the league is a joke.
For LeBron to come here in his prime is a huge risk on his part. I think the only way he even considers it is with an opt-out clause after two years, which i’m not even sure is possible.
Hope i’m wrong, but that’s how I see it. If NY drafts Wall or Turner, that could help their case. The Nets actually have a few pieces for him to work with. Another question is, does he prefer the eastern conference? He might.
I'm skeptical
I highly doubt anything is “done” as that “GM” suggests. We’re in March and free agency doesn’t start until July 1. It’s ludicrous to say anything like that is done.
This is just random speculation based on very little evidence. JJ and TMac may have the same agent…so? JJ’s gonna go where he wants to go. His agent only has so much say. He was quoted earlier this week as saying that he can’t go to a rebuilding situation. Well that’s exactly what NY is. Unless they sign Lebron first, I can’t see it happening.
I will say this though, it’s been pretty widely reported that Lebron, Wade, Melo, CP3 and Joe Johnson are all really good friends and hang out regularly together. So yes, Lebron may very well prefer playing with a good friend of his than anyone on the Clippers.
I don’t think any of this actually happens but just throwing that out there.
And...
It also involved favors for high prifile agents…. Clippers bought out David Falk client Cassell so he could get another ring in Boston, and Falk turned around and Falked the Clippers with Brand. So yeah, the idea that Tellem is simply going to gift wrap Johnson for the Knicks is probably off base – I tend to agree.
In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. - Elwood P. Dowd
by Steve Perrin on Mar 12, 2010 7:21 PM PST up reply actions
In defense of the Knicks, Eddy Curry has an 11m contract that will be coming off the cap in 2011. That means that any combination of Knicks that includes Lebron will be able to add another very good player in 2011 or at the trade deadline if someone wants to dump a good player to get Eddy’s expiring contract.
true...
Curry’s contract will be valuable.
In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. - Elwood P. Dowd
by Steve Perrin on Mar 12, 2010 7:22 PM PST up reply actions
Why would the King leave Cleveland?
Not gonna happen. Cavs will open the vault for the King and eventually win a championship.
Clips will trade Kaman for Brad Miller and $$$, then land prized FA Chris Bosh and Kenny Thomas to b/u Griffin. You heard it here first!!
Miller is an expiring contract
He can’t be traded as he’ll be a free agent this summer
The column is from the NY Daily News...
It’s a tabloid rag from a different era (I’m actually amazed it’s still around). They’re printing what the people want to hear: “We’re gonna be better next year because the fix is in.” But does anyone think Arn Tellem has that much power? Really?
If JJ does go to NY
then the Hawks will likely match any offer made to Childress. That could come around to interfere with our own offseason designs.
My guess is that JJ is NY’s Plan B should Lebron choose not come… partly because of SP’s point that each player wants the ball in his hands, but also because NY may be thinking that the odds for Lebron have gotten longer. The Cavs have Jamison now, after all. A backup plan for JJ and Gay seems very plausible.
The pieces could then fall in unpleasant ways: James stays in Cleveland, JJ and Gay to NY, and Wade to Miami or Chicago. I don’t see Bosh or Andre coming to us regardless, given the talls on our roster.
To me, this gives us some incentive to reconsider the tanking option. I bet that if Lebron wants to come, then he’ll come. In the meantime, ending with a 7th or 8th seed could pay benefits. Detroit and Philly, for instance, are both just 2 games behind us.
"i know huh........freakin clippers man.....its like a wild ride rooting for this team....gotta love em....(sometimes) lol" In GrIfFin We TrUsT
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