<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Tribute to H2O:</div><div class="quote_post">More of this "Agguire and Brown working with him" stuff. There is nothing that suggests he'll want to work on his game. Why would he? He got paid already. The only reason he got himself into shape this past season was because it was the last year of his contract. Dampier did the same thing the season before got a ridiculous contract and was a big disappointment this season.</div>
Well, he did make steady improvements all throughout his career. Unlike Dampier, he steadily improved and averaged 16.1 points; last season he averaged 14.7 points. He also does have his best friend, Crawford, motivating him. I think he?ll be alright.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">By the way its kind of sad Curry couldnt average more than five rebounds per game in a contract year.</div>
As I said before, when you have players like Chandler and Davis on your frontline, they?re going to snatch many boards away. Chicago was also #2 in the league in rebounds per game which shows how great the team is in terms of rebounds. Can I say Sweetney got so many rebounds because he played on a bad rebounding team? I agree I think Curry can stand to improve his rebounding, but it?s not as much a problem as the numbers say.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Havent you read the news? Larry Brown has just said he'll return Antonio Davis to Chicago. He's not staying. Not that it matters since Davis is going to get bought out but how do you figure Davis is better than Thomas??? Now you're just plain making stuff up to justify this bad deal!</div>
Well, Larry isn?t the President of Basketball Operations ? Isiah is. Isiah said it himself he has no intentions of letting Davis go. He said he?ll give him a few days to be with his family in Chicago, but he has to be back shortly after. How do I figure Davis is better than Thomas? I hope you know I mean Tim Thomas; not Kurt Thomas.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">And you have said it yourself Curry and Sweetney are about equal. So what kind of sense does it make to trade for Curry when he may have serious issues?</div>
How about potential? Curry is a guy from high school who is still learning while Sweetney went to college. They might be about the same now, but in 2-3 years from now, there could be a big difference. Like it or not, Sweetney?s potential is limited because he?s a 6?8? power forward. In this day and age, athletic power forwards are taking the league by storm and it was evident last year when Sweetney couldn?t stay in front of his man without fouling. Sweetney averages 3 fouls in 20 minutes.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Nevermind the fact Sweetney would have been cheaper(by the way it's pretty hard for a player to leave when their a restricted free agent just thought you should know)and we would have been able to hang onto our expiring contract and draft picks. Isiah will probably trade Penny too if for no other reason than to do something since that jackass cant sit still for a few months without doing something stupid.</div>
I know restricted free agents are hard to sign, but I feel the most we could give him would be the qualifying offer. After hearing all those trade rumors, Sweetney wouldn?t want to stay either. He?ll go to a place where he can get paid or play more. I loved Sweetney?s game, but I think this could be a good thing for us.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Curry has been in the league for four years now so its not too surprising he's averaging 15ppg. He cant rebound and he cant defend which is two things that a good center mustbe able to do.</div>
But Curry was a high schooler while Sweetney was a college junior. There?s a big difference. Curry can?t defend, but neither can Sweetney. Curry is a slightly below average rebounder, but he can learn. Remember, this guy is still young and he?s still learning.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The reason why the trade was lousy is because Curry simply doesnt help all that much. Scoring wasnt really a problem. The Knicks biggest problem last season was defense. Curry doesnt play defense so he's no help in that regard.</div>
The Knicks never had a post scorer except Sweetney who scored there for 8 points a game. The Knicks defense suffered because their lack of big men. Their tallest big man was a 6?9? Kurt Thomas. Now with Frye, James, and Curry ? three players all 6?11? and above ? the Knicks are going to be better defensively. I also think we?re going to keep Davis and if that?s the case, our defense will get even better on the interior.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">A bright spot for the Knicks was rebounding. We've traded away nearly all of our good rebounders. We wont get as many second chance opportunities as we got last season and we're going to probably give up alot of second chance points.</div>
How was rebounding a bright spot for the Knicks last season? We were 22nd in the league last season in RPG.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">In the end Sweetney and Curry are pretty similiar players. The biggest difference is that Sweetney is far and away a better rebounder. Sweetney could end up being just as good as Curry in terms of scoring as well as a superior rebounder. When you throw in the fact that Curry may have serious heart issues, a questionable work ethic, and is more expensive then it starts looking like a bad deal. Then when you throw in the draft picks and expiring contract it starts to look even worse.</div>
Yeah, they?re similar it?s just Curry is still learning. If Curry went to college than some of the mistakes he?s made in his career wouldn?t have happened. It?s all a learning process and fortunately he can learn from one of the best post players and one of the best coaches. And Curry doesn?t have any serious heart issues. They said he wasn?t in any more risk as any other player in the league. Draft picks really don?t matter. We have our young core set and if we don?t make the playoffs, we have a lottery-protected pick.