Here We Go Again...Parker to NY talk

[RiverwalkParade]

As the Knick front office monitors all of the latest chatter about LeBron James, the team is putting just as much emphasis on planning an alternative course of action in case James sign elsewhere or remains in Cleveland.

Several sources tell Alan Hahn of Newsday that the Spurs are "clearly ready to consider moves" for Tony Parker.



Read more: http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/67061/20100607/knicks_target_tony_parker_will_not_wait_till_2011/

[ducks]

and who the hell does the knicks have that the spurs want

[scottspurs]

Yeah, these knick rumors don't make any sense because they don't have any players the spurs would want and they don't have a high draft choice. I don't even see a three way trade working out that would send Parker to NY because no one is giving up enough talent for the spurs to want to trade their former Finals MVP.

[kobyz]

how someone can come with this BS, if you come up with false report at least make sure it will be logical, you should know the Knicks had nothing to give for Parker.

[cd98]

NY writers have a history of overvaluing the Knick roster and speculating wildly on how a combo of their average to below average Knicks will be packaged for a top tier talent.

Spurs would only trade Parker for a player that puts them over the top as a contender or gives them a top 5 pick and quality young players.

Knick writers are just daydreaming as they won't sign any top free agents or make any blockbuster trades. The Knick fans are bored.

[Cane]

I really don't think the Spurs would do it, but I'll play as the article's advocate. It mentioned a S&T with David Lee. He would seem redundant if Tiago comes over however he's been working on his 3 point shot so he could potentially be a much better Bonner. Or perhaps whoever the Spurs receive from NYK will be later traded off for a pick or other players.

[rayray2k8]

Maybe they can take on Jefferson's contract? :lol
Other than David Lee, I don't know who they could offer. But that isn't if the Spurs bring
over Splitter before Lee, then it wouldn't make a whole lot of sense.

Look on the bright side, at we have something to talk about and make duck sweat at the same time. :)

[Darthkiller]

the rumor i heard is eddy curry+ chandler + douglas for parker

[dbestpro]

the rumor i heard is eddy curry+ chandler + douglas for parker

That trade would make me puke.

[Brox6]

the rumor i heard is eddy curry+ chandler + douglas for parker

no Gallinari :rolleyes

[SenorSpur]

Yawn~

:sleep

[Dex]

'Several sources' meaning the countless dumbass threads on SpursTalk?

[Drewlius]

Any trade not including both Chandler/Gallinari and some type of draft pick/other sweetener, would be a complete travesty.

[DesignatedT]

'Several sources' meaning the countless dumbass threads on SpursTalk?

Exactly.

[galvatron3000]

Spurs should consider moves for Parker, just not dumb ones...

[DesignatedT]

Well... so far we can trade Parker for Michael Beasley, Brandon Rush or Eddy Curry. :lmao

[tdunk21]

TP is and will be our PG...../thread

[ducks]

Exactly. In reality the Knicks would have to get a third team involved. Stranger things have happened though. Wasn't there a 5 team trade that moved Hedo to Toronto, Bass to Orlando, Marrion to Dallas and other things to other places? I can't remember but I know it was about a four or five team trade.

With no first round picks, real prospects the Knicks can't really make a trade for TP. However it is seeming more likely the Spurs trade Parker.

He has 1 year left on his contract and wants a big extension. I don't see it as the Spurs style to give Tony such a big contract over a long term period. So here are the options: Keep him this year then either give him the big contract extension he wants or risk losing him to teams with the cap space to sign him. Or trade Parker now and perhaps get some good young prospects and draft picks.

yeah spurs are looking to trade him :downspin:

you think it is likely even though you think this rumor is false but you believe since they mention him being expandable he is being shopped

[Pero]

Parker wouldn't last long in NY. After a thousand fans would've told him "that's why you lost" or something, he'd flip out and end up in jail. :lol

[Blackjack]

you think it is likely even though you think this rumor is false but you believe since they mention him being expandable he is being shopped

Well, hell, if they think he's the next Oliver Miller ... might as well take New York's trash (or poor offer ;)).

[TD 21]

It's gotten to the point where there's too much smoke to not think there's some fire. I'd be surprised if he get's moved this off season barring some unforeseen offer, but I'm starting to wonder whether he'll be a Spur past next season at this point. The odds of that only increase if the Spurs draft Williams.

If he demands a max deal, that's one thing, but if the Spurs just don't want to commit a lucrative, long-term contract to Parker, then I don't get it. While they can all handle the ball, Hill isn't a true PG and Ginobili and Williams are SG's (in addition, Williams is an unproven player at this level). This notion that Hill's emergence makes Parker expendable is foolish. With the age, mileage and injury history of Ginobili and Parker, this team needs three high level guards to be a contender.

Financially, I don't get it either (again, assuming it just takes a relatively modest raise and not the max). Even if Splitter is signed for around the MLE, McDyess is gone after next season, as is Jefferson, if he's not dealt by the deadline. Even if he's re-signed, it'll be at a drastically reduced price. So the Spurs will be shedding enough payroll to account for Parker's raise.

Unless it's a three or four team deal, I can't see him going to the Knicks straight up. As many have alluded to, they don't have the assets to make this worth the Spurs while. Even if they offered Lee in a sign-and-trade, he's not a good fit for the Spurs and if the Spurs were reluctant to offer a lucrative, long-term contract to Parker, then I doubt they will be to Lee, even though he's expected to make less. The difference probably won't be drastic enough that the Spurs would not pay the former, who's not only a better player and fit for the team, but has so much past history with them and at the same time pay the latter.

[Ginobili2Duncan]

The price for Parker

2:17PM ET
Tony Parker | Spurs (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=sas)


Ever since the Spurs' season ended abruptly with a sweep at the hands of the Suns in the second round of the playoffs, Tony Parker (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=1015) has been the one name thrown out as a possible trade chip.
Parker is heading into the last year of his contract and the team is looking to do a little retooling. He's an All-Star caliber player when healthy and the Spurs have George Hill (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3438) as solid option to replace Parker.
There's been some chatter that New York could be a possible landing spot for Parker, but void of a draft pick this season and not a lot of trade chips otherwise, this likely isn't an ideal fit for the Spurs.
So what are they looking for in return for Parker? According to ESPN's Chad Ford, it's possible the Spurs could trade Parker if they can move up far enough in the draft to grab a big.


http://a.espncdn.com/i/columnists/ford_chad_30.jpg ESPN's Chad Ford

If Spurs can land big, they'll move Parker (http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/blog?name=nba_draft&id=5260049)

"The Spurs and Thunder are also in the hunt for a big and have targeted a number of teams in the lottery to move up a few spots. The Thunder have multiple picks to offer. The Spurs have Tony Parker or George Hill. While the Spurs aren't necessarily shopping either player, they're not untouchable either. If the Spurs can get another big man to help prolong Tim Duncan (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=215)'s career, they'll do it."

[TD 21]

The only way there's any logic to this is if the Spurs are certain that Splitter isn't signing.

[DPG21920]

Exactly. They are getting Tiago (hopefully) so they (hopefully) can satisfy that desire without giving up an asset. Plus, I don't see a big worth a damn in this draft.

[Mel_13]

Chad Ford. The same guy who broke the Parker for Troy Murphy rumor.

[TD 21]

It comes down to whether their primary concern is winning another championship in the Duncan era, or whether it's completely re-building around Duncan and Ginobili. For an organization that claims to be all about championships and indicated as much last summer with their spending, the prudent thing to do would be to keep Parker (even if he were involved in a deal for Favors, the Spurs aren't winning another championship in the Duncan era with the inexperienced/raw Favors next to him), sign Splitter and bring in a veteran wing to provide 3D.Then, the Spurs would have a cadre (in addition to whoever they draft in the 1st round) of quality young players and a team that on paper at least should be of championship caliber. That would allow them to have their cake and eat it too.

[MaNu4Tres]

Lots of 3 way trades could happen, if Knicks where willing to deal Gillinari and Chandler with Duhon or Tony Dougles and Future picks I think the spurs consider it. Spurs loved Douglus out of FSt he can defend and is a great shooter, and Chandler is a spurs type defender who can score.....Gillinari looks the part of a poor mans Dirk.

IMO I think Gallinari, Chandler + Curry's expiring might be the best the Knicks could offer for the situation the Spurs are currently in. It would give the Spurs something to ponder about for a couple of minutes before they would ultimately conclude that the package still isn't enough to give up an All-Star point guard.

Unfortunately, the Knicks don't have a first round pick until 2013. Which really hurts their aspirations to offer a good enough deal to acquire Parker.

In regards to David Lee, I was too lazy to write out my opinion on his situation again.


Why would the Spurs want to spend an extra 10-12 million dollars a year on another front-court player, when Splitter is pretty much coming over here for less than half that price?

With Splitter the front-court is pretty much set with Duncan/Splitter/McDyess and Blair. The value of his 10-12 million dollar contract on the Spurs would be one of the worst with the minutes available in the front-court.

Now if we were talking about Bosh or an elite big man, where the drop-off in talent is more significant then I'd think it would be worth it.

But IMO David Lee is not an elite big man and I don't think the drop-off in talent between Splitter and Lee is significant enough to warrant a 10-12 million salary addition to the already set front-court(if Splitter comes over) .

Don't get me wrong Lee had a great year last year, but IMO Lee's numbers were inflated with the system he was in. Those numbers and his productivity wouldn't be anywhere near the same in the Spurs system.


IMO It's pretty dumb basketball economics to make a move for Lee with Splitter coming over.

[Cane]

, but if the Spurs just don't want to commit a lucrative, long-term contract to Parker, then I don't get it.

To play the Spurs FO advocate, I can come up with a reason why they wouldn't want to commit a long-term contract to Parker. And that deals solely with playing for the French NT. He's still young and very patriotic so he'd probably be playing for France throughout the contract and his style is very injury-prone. Might not be worth the gamble on that alone since he already has an injury history and has a lot of mileage for his age.

I realize Ginobili is in a similar position except his minutes will likely go down due to his age and veteran role he should assume for Argentina. Also I don't think the Spurs would want to deal with Parker's international injuries in addition to Manu's. Then there's Tiago and whether or not he'll do the same.

Spurs are probably tired of having their stars and team's NBA potential get wasted away by their patriotism.

[ploto]

We really do not know what is going on with contract talks and Parker. The Spurs are not going to pay him the max, especially after last season. Manu does not get it. IIRC, even Tim structured his contract such that he took less than the maximum. Lots of players have taken less money to come and/or to stay with the Spurs. Maybe, Tony says he will walk if he does not get the max and the Spurs figure they should get something for him now. Not saying it would be the Knicks, but it needs to be someone who will fork over the big dough to him the following season.

[Mel_13]

We really do not know what is going on with contract talks and Parker. The Spurs are not going to pay him the max, especially after last season. Manu does not get it. IIRC, even Tim structured his contract such that he took less than the maximum. Lots of players have taken less money to come and/or to stay with the Spurs. Maybe, Tony says he will walk if he does not get the max and the Spurs figure they should get something for him now. Not saying it would be the Knicks, but it needs to be someone who will fork over the big dough to him the following season.

Maximum extensions and maximum contracts are not the same thing. Players not already on a maximum contract can only get a maximum contract by becoming a free agent and signing a new contract. Tony is not on a maximum contract. Manu was not on a maximum contract. Tim, of course, has been on a maximum contract since 2000.

Manu did get the maximum possible extension based on the value of his existing contract and his age. Tim took less than the maximum possible extension (approximately 10M below max over the course of two seasons).

Anything Tony signs before June 30, 2011 would be an extension, not a new contract. We really have no idea if Tony will be seeking the maximum possible extension or what portion of it the Spurs may be willing to offer.

[ploto]

Maximum extensions and maximum contracts are not the same thing. Players not already on a maximum contract can only get a maximum contract by becoming a free agent and signing a new contract.

I know the difference. I am talking about Tony wanting a max contract next summer not an extension on his current contract. Some reports are that Tony expects a max deal next summer. So, if the Spurs already know this and know they will not give it to him, then they can get something for him now while they have all the control. I do not anticipate Tony signing any extension on his current contract with the Spurs.

[Mel_13]

I know the difference. I am talking about Tony wanting a max contract next summer not an extension on his current contract. Some reports are that Tony expects a max deal next summer. So, if the Spurs already know this and know they will not give it to him, then they can get something for him now while they have all the control. I do not anticipate Tony signing any extension on his current contract with the Spurs.

In interviews given last month Tony said that he expects to begin negotiations with the Spurs on an extension in October. Given that a max extension comes out to roughly 5yrs/90M and a new contract would be under the terms of a yet to be quantified new CBA, it's understandable that Tony will seek a lucrative extension under the current rules.

[DJ Mbenga]

this would be a salary dump style trade.

[Pauleta14]

Anything Tony signs before June 30, 2011 would be an extension, not a new contract .


What would a max extension worth?

[Mel_13]

What would a max extension worth?

Round numbers: 5yrs/90M

[Pauleta14]

Round numbers: 5yrs/90M


thanks

what do you guys thinks Tony should/deserves to get? (if extented)

I was thinking 5yrs/80M...

[Pauleta14]

http://www.shamsports.com/content/pages/data/salaries/spurs.jsp

According to that link (assuming I am reading that right, which I probably am not) since Parker has been with the Spurs for 10+ years after next season his first year extension for a max contract can't be higher than $18,928,700-ish. But there is likely some kind of percent increase limit from the last contract. (Again accoring to the link) Tony is making $13,650,000 next season. So As Mel said above I would guess anywhere between 5/90 and 5/100 million is a good guess.

:toast

That would be too much for the salary cap balance, I hope he/they find a way to offer him a good raise with keeping some cap flexibility...

Tony accepting less money than what he could seek elsewhere to allow the team to be competitive wouldn't surprise me, he has a great model/leader in Tim who's already done it!

[Mel_13]

http://www.shamsports.com/content/pages/data/salaries/spurs.jsp

According to that link (assuming I am reading that right, which I probably am not) since Parker has been with the Spurs for 10+ years after next season his first year extension for a max contract can't be higher than $18,928,700-ish. But there is likely some kind of percent increase limit from the last contract. (Again accoring to the link) Tony is making $13,650,000 next season. So As Mel said above I would guess anywhere between 5/90 and 5/100 million is a good guess.

A number around 19M would be a first year salary on a new contract, not an extension. That also would assume that the rules on max contracts and the distribution of revenues between players and ownership remain the same under the new CBA. Since a new contract would not be signed until after the 2011 CBA is signed, that figure could change dramatically.

A max extension would be signed under the current rules. As such, the numbers can be calculated exactly. Based on his 2010-11 salary of 13.65M, a maximum extension for Tony would be 5yrs/91.25M.

[Pauleta14]

Not sure really. That seems fair in all honesty. Tony is the Spurs best scorer. However he is 29 after next season and that means he'll be 34 when his contract expires. Which means if the Spurs give him that 5/80 mil you suggested then TP will make around $18,160,355 (going based off Elton Brand's 5/80 million contract he signed two summers ago with the 76ers, I remember being excited about that signing :depressed )


5yrs/80M means more 16M/year...

Both parts has to leave/give something anyway!

+ As for Manu, don't forget he costed almost nothing for 4 YEARS...
Even his present contract was a "bargain" for the spurs if you look at the market fore elite PG...

I mean he deserves a good contract as much for what he will do than what he has done... in a way!

ps/ About the "NT factor", I trust Tony to be smart enough and willing to keep being good for dealing the right way with it in the coming years...

[Pauleta14]

Thanks for the info, but I would like to have your personal opinion about what should get.

If you were the Spurs GM, what would you do?

[Mel_13]

Thanks for the info, but I would like to have your personal opinion about what should get.

If you were the Spurs GM, what would you do?

Wait.

There are so many uncertainties right now.

1. Can Tony return to his 2008-09 level?

2. If so, how long can he be expected to perform at something near that level?

3. How will other parts of the team develop and perform? Can the team contend with Tony going forward?

4. How extensively will the rules change under the new CBA? Ownership will push for a lower percentage of revenues for the players, shorter contracts, and fewer guarantees.

So unless Tony is willing to take much, much less than a maximum extension (say 4/55), I would wait until the answers to the above questions are more apparent than they are now.

[Mel_13]

The only down side of the "wait and see" method is that a mid-season point guard trade kills teams. And if Tony does play well in a "contract year" and test the market what keeps him from moving to a place where he can make more money off the major market and earn similar money on the court.

I don't like the idea of trading for a draft pick because every prospect is unproven. But if the Spurs can get Devin Harris and the 3rd pick, that is hard to pass up.

Waiting certainly carries risk. IMO, the risks associated with vastly overpaying one player are even greater. That's just my opinion and I've been wrong before.

Unlike some others around here, I believe that both Tony and the Spurs wish to continue the relationship. Whether or not they can come to a financial agreement that both sides can live with remains to be seen.

[Ice009]

thanks

what do you guys thinks Tony should/deserves to get? (if extented)

I was thinking 5yrs/80M...

If Tony can get back to the level he was at in the second half of 2009 then I'd say he is worth the max. He was absolutely awesome that season and carried the Spurs. Deron Williams and Chris Paul didn't have their best seasons and I thought at the end of the season Tony was close to being the number 1 PG in the NBA. He was approaching Superstar level. Some of these articles are really underrating a prime time Tony Parker big time.

If he plays like this season though then he is not even top 5 and I wouldn't give him close to the max at all. Very tough call. What do you think? It's tough for the Spurs to give out that kind of money because they simply can't afford it. I'd love it if a billionaire bought the team or at least part ownership of it. Can that even be done?

[DesignatedT]

Tony should get nothing over a 5 year/75 million $ extension, and I think he will go for that.

[Mikesatx]

The thread has evolved from a trade with New York to what is Tony worth. I know Hollinger is hit or miss on this site but I don't know a better system for quantifying a players value/effectiveness. He has Tim as #1 for player efficiency rating for centers during the regular season. He has Manu as #2 for shooting guards and Tony #18 for point guards. I don't believe Tony is the 18th best point guard in the league but I also don't believe he is anywhere near a max deal. He wouldn't take a deal anywhere close to what Ginobili took but that is where I think his value is.

[ducks]

he was a max deal when he was the top 3 point guard two years ago
last year no year before MAX

[kaji157]

he was a max deal when he was the top 3 point guard two years ago
last year no year before MAX

Tony was never a max player for the Spurs, maybe for other teams he was, but not for the Spurs, max players should be top 5 in their position and Parker was that only one year here.

Anyway, before you start crying over this, i don't think Ginobili is a max player either, he was just given the max because his age makes his max contract a not so big deal. If Ginobili were eligible for a real max contract he woldn't be given that.

[Pauleta14]

If Tony can get back to the level he was at in the second half of 2009 then I'd say he is worth the max. He was absolutely awesome that season and carried the Spurs. Deron Williams and Chris Paul didn't have their best seasons and I thought at the end of the season Tony was close to being the number 1 PG in the NBA. He was approaching Superstar level. Some of these articles are really underrating a prime time Tony Parker big time.

If he plays like this season though then he is not even top 5 and I wouldn't give him close to the max at all. Very tough call. What do you think? It's tough for the Spurs to give out that kind of money because they simply can't afford it. I'd love it if a billionaire bought the team or at least part ownership of it. Can that even be done?


I love TP, but even if he regains his 2009 production, I wouldn't (as spurs GM) give him the max because you don't have much less for the role players after that.
That being said, with RJ contract gone and Timmy 1 more year left, he can be offered a 80M-85M/5years, with the 1st year being "low" paid to balance Timmy's last year (who will probably, if healthy extend for a much lesser salary) ...

PS/ Most of people only see TP's speed as his main/only strength (fearing that the older he gets, the worst he will be) but he brings way more than that and can ONLY get better in so many areas in that environement...

I don't think there should be that many doubts/fears about Tony's health/production in the FO's mind, it's much more a business/money decision for them.

[024]

if the spurs trade parker, it would be pretty sad. the spurs used up cap space to get a mediocre SF and then gave their aging injury prone shooting guard an expensive extension just so they can trade their youngest member of the core and all star caliber scorer? wtf?

[Mikesatx]

The Spurs traded Bowen who retired and Thomas and Oberto for Jefferson. On paper the trade was completely lopsided. Jefferson didn't live up to expectations. If Manu opts for free agency he gets more than we gave him and when healthy is a top talent in the league. You max or near max Parker you assume the core 3 is enough. Most would agree it isn't. You trade him or let him walk next year with jefferson off the books you have some room to strengthen the front court. You don't give him away but if you can improve the team you do it. Improving the team may mean you don't get a player or players as talented as parker but the overall team is better. When we traded Antonio Daniels for Kerr Daniels was clearly the better player but the team was better with Kerr.

[Muser]

Why does every article say Hill can replace him? Did people not see him this year?

[lotr1trekkie]

Timmy wouldn't like it!
Eva wouldn't like it
Tony likes Eva and Timmy so he wouldn't like it.

[bus driver]

i would be very disappointed if they traded him for mediocre players

[lebomb]

I would do this trade with the Nets.........

Tony and RJ for Devin Harris/Chris Douglas Roberts or Courtney Lee and #3 pick (which the Spurs could use on Demarcus Cousins) :hat

[tdunk21]

http://mobile.newsday.com/inf/infomo;JSESSIONID=A7269561D2A00B11E122.2706?site=n ewsday&view=page3&feed:a=newsday_5min&feed:c=sports&feed:i=1.1987824&nopaging=1


"While Eeyore frets and Piglet hesitates and Rabbit calculates and Owl pontificates, Pooh just is." -- Benjamin Hoff, The Tao of Pooh

The Knicks braintrust whittles away the anxious days until July 1 by holding meetings to strategize their free agency plans, meetings to strategize how to market the results and hosting pre-draft workouts for second-round caliber players that have, so far, left no one excited about making the No. 38 and 39 picks.

While in Cleveland it’s either about to all come together or it’s all coming apart. Danny Ferry’s departure was the result of Cavs owner Dan Gilbert making the decision to take on the Jerry Jones role. Ferry didn’t want the job if it did not come with full autonomy, so he decided to walk away (those Duke guys are an intelligent lot). So Gilbert instead promoted Chris Grant, who is an intelligent and hard-working personnel guy, but, let’s be honest, he’s there, as one NBA executive noted, “to be the mechanic.”

Ferry had told confidants that he was philosophically against the idea of hiring John Calipari, no matter how much LeBron James wanted him. With Gilbert making the calls now – check that, making the calls based on what LeBron would want – the first call is to the college ranks, but not to Calipari. According to the News-Herald, it's to Michigan State's Tom Izzo. But Izzo can't leave the comfort zone in Lansing for the uncertainty of Cleveland unless he has some assurances that James will be there, too.

This is the chicken-and-egg situation Gilbert and the Cavs find themselves in at this point, because you certainly can’t hire a high-end coach unless you have LeBron signed first. So it goes without saying that part of signing LeBron is agreeing to hire his choice as head coach.

It’s also to clear out the players James doesn’t want on the team anymore, so it’s understandable that immediately after Ferry’s departure came reports out of Cleveland that Mo Williams and Delonte West would be shopped. What Gilbert may learn is that while he’s been willing to take on bad contracts, no one else in the league will be doing this – not even the Knicks – with the current CBA set to expire.

The prevailing opinion (which we subscribe to) is that LeBron will wind up staying in Cleveland for a short-term deal or one with an ETO after two years, still, the Knicks have to feel confident their pitch will at least give LeBron something to consider, especially when you factor in the clean slate roster and salary cap situation, the established coach with the popular system that fits his skill set and, of course, the unmatched magnitude of a move to the Garden stage, which the NBA and ESPN (and Nike) would gleefully use to produce stratospheric promotions to the point that even Martians will be flying in to purchase tickets and merchandise.

But even if LeBron feels it’s time to make a break from Cleveland, understand that New York is hardly a given as his choice destination.

It’s Chicago that looms as the toughest opponent in the way. Well of course they are. It was like that in the 1990s when the Bulls previously had the league’s best player. Da Bulls are always in the damn way.

Not only do they have a hell of a wingman in Derrick Rose, they just came up with a terrific hire in Tom Thibodeau, who includes Kobe Bryant among his platinum-member references and gained a great deal of credit in formulating the defense that stopped LeBron in that stunning second-round upset.

But while Thibodeau deserves his due for the Celtics’ successes in the 2008 championship season and this year’s run to the Finals, it’s fair to acknowledge that LeBron had a lot more to do with his ineffective, seemingly uninspired play in that pivotal Game 5 than anything the Celtics were doing. “He was,” as one longtime NBA assistant coach noted, “completely detached.”

Thibodeau almost took the Hornets job, but switched gears when Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf made a last-second offer. It’s been widely-publicized that Reinsdorf doesn’t deal with agents, so Thibodeau’s connection with Creative Artists Agency, which includes newly-minted coaching agent William “Worldwide Wes” Wesley, couldn’t possibly have any impact on the Bulls’ decision to target Thibodeau, could it?

Perhaps there's not that much of a conspiracy behind a team hiring the best available assistant coach, but it's worth noting that of the likely group of assistants and staff Thibodeau will take with him to Chicago – Mo Cheeks, Ron Adams and Andy Greer are each coaches Thibodeau has previously worked with – Rick Brunson, a former Knick and Bull, is expected to be considered for a player development position, according to the Chicago Tribune. Brunson was the first-ever NBA client of Leon Rose, the agent who represents LeBron James, works closely with Wesley and is affiliated with CAA.

But he is also a Jeff Van Gundy disciple and, as such, has a close relationship with Thibodeau that goes back to his days as a Knicks reserve. Brunson played for nine NBA teams during his career and worked his way through the college game with stops in Virginia and Hartford, so is certainly deserving of a position. But as we've seen from the countless reports in this pre-free agency madness is everyone likes to connect the dots.

None of it has gone unnoticed at 2 Penn Plaza. In fact, just as much as the franchise is preparing for a billion-dollar pitch to get LeBron, there is just as much of an emphasis on the plan without LeBron. And here’s what appears to be the most significant principle of that plan that Knicks fans should know: there does not appear to be a Wait-Til-Next-Year plan.

While no one should expect that the sage and calculated Donnie Walsh will cover his eyes and throw cash at whoever walks through the door, it is likely the Knicks will be extremely aggressive this summer in an effort to build a contending roster, with or without LeBron James. It may not come via free agency, either. According to several sources, the Spurs may be downplaying trade rumors involving Tony Parker, but they are clearly ready to consider moves. The franchise committed to Manu Ginobili and have George Hill as a built-in replacement, which has made Parker expendable. But at what cost?

The Knicks would love to get a deal done before July 1 as an attention-grabber for free agents, but it might take the rights to David Lee in a sign-and-trade to get the Spurs talking. If that’s the case, it couldn’t happen until after July 1, because, as a one-year contract player, Lee can’t be signed to an extension.

Parker is an obvious target. His offensive skills, which are very close to Steve Nash (though Parker gets to the rim much better than Nash), make him a perfect fit for Mike D’Antoni’s system. He’s not the passer that Nash is, but Parker can be a very effective pick-and-roll player and then the Knicks would need to target a big man in free agency who would fit well with Parker, such as Amar’e Stoudemire, Chris Bosh or Carlos Boozer. And with that extra room the Knicks could also still be aggressive and go after Joe Johnson, who would form a dynamic backcourt with Parker (just as he would in Chicago with Derrick Rose), or, at a more affordable number, target restricted free agent Rudy Gay. Hey, if LeBron doesn’t come to the Knicks, the Knicks are gonna need to find someone to guard him because if you plan on being in the playoffs, you have to plan on beating LeBron.

But, still, the goal remains to have him on their side. The Bulls had Michael in the 90s. After countless heartbreaks, the basketball gods owe Knicks fans LeBron.

But it will take more than just a billion-dollar sales pitch, which has been polished and spit-shined and even has gone through dress rehearsals. It will involve the assistance of New York City and all of its accoutrements. The Yankees will have a homestand that first weekend of July and we’ve promoted the idea of getting LeBron to the stadium to throw out the first pitch and get the Bleacher Bums to include him in the roll call (hell, if the kid wants to bat clean-up, just name your price, Mr. Steinbrenner).

But then I was told by an experienced television insider that while the Yankees would love to see LeBron in New York, the franchise might prefer he do so for the team that plays on their network during the dormant winter months.

Imagine that, the Nets not only have Jay-Z, they may also have the Yankees.

[cd98]

Will letting Parker go have the same effect as when the Spurs let a hot shooting Jackson walk after the 2003 championship and replaced him with an ice cold Hedo?

[DesignatedT]

Why does every article say Hill can replace him? Did people not see him this year?

I don't know what is going on with this but its pretty annoying.