How will you spend your Thanksgiving break?
There's been a lot of talk recently about the upcoming cap room that the New York Knicks will gain when this season finally comes to an end. And for good reason, as this summer will be the first time since trading Patrick Ewing in 2000 that the Knicks will have the ability to sign a big-time free agent. But it's looking much more likely that 2011 will be the year when they can finally rejoice.
Images
The Knicks have four players left under contract: Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, Toney Douglas and Eddy Curry. This leaves the team's total team salary at $21.57 million, which is under the expected salary cap of $53 million.
We all know general manager Donnie Walsh's main target is to bring Lebron James to the Garden with Chris Bosh.
Since the maximum salary that both these players, and Dwayne Wade for that matter, can sign for is $16.57 million, the Knicks are going to have to find about an additional $1.7 million to sign both of them.
Here, things get dicey, and when Walsh is going to have to earn his keep. He is going to have to either negotiate a buy-out of Eddy Curry, or trade his expiring contract for next year's version of Kevin Martin. And even if Walsh were to figure out a way to sign both James and Bosh, then the last 10 players on the Knicks roster would all have to be minimum-contract.
This is not to say that James is definitely not coming to New York. In fact, despite all these issues, the Knicks still might be his best long-term option; Miami, New Jersey, Cleveland, Chicago and L.A. all have their own roster and management issues.
Whether the Knicks hit the jackpot with James and Bosh, obtain the consolation prizes of Joe Johnson and Amare Stoudemire, or try to keep David Lee, it is highly unlikely that they will be a championship team when the 2010-11 NBA season tips off. Yes, Lebron is ridiculously good, but I just don't think the 2010 Knicks will be able to provide him with enough immediate help.
That is why 2011-12 is looking like the year that the Knicks will finally be able to make a real championship run, assuming no lockout and the salary cap rules under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement remain somewhat similar. By having a first-round pick, and the mid-level exception to offer to free agents, the Knicks will be able to surround whoever they sign with some real talent, as opposed to Douglas and some second-rounder.
