David Lee to Portland?

[Crimson the Cat]

No, I think POR could sign Lee as a Restricted FA, provided that NY doesn't match, and POR could arrange the contract so that it is most expensive\painful for NY in 2010 to reconsider matching...there have been rumours that NY wouldn't match a contract starting at $9 to $9+ mil per year...and then deal him to CHA straight up for Wallace, so NY wouldn't need to be involved....

No. You can't do that. The soonest we'd be able to trade him is, I believe, Dec. 15th. or three months after we've signed him.

 

[BoomChakaLaka]

Are you telling me we are going to pay 10 million a year for someone who is going to play 12-15 minutes per game? LISTEN TO YOUR SELF.

You claim we need to stop having dudes play out of position, well guess what??!! Lee isn't a center, so if you want to try to find minutes for him, you're going to have to play him out of position. Great job.

Right now - today - Lee is better (all around) than LMA. Lee however is too small to be our starting center - but this is where Oden fits in. And Oden won't play big minutes because of his foul problems.

Lee would play more than 12 minutes per game on this team (minus Pryz) but if Pryz was to remain, then we'd have a log jam.

 

[B-Roy]

Right now - today - Lee is better (all around) than LMA. Lee however is too small to be our starting center - but this is where Oden fits in. And Oden won't play big minutes because of his foul problems.

Lee would play more than 12 minutes per game on this team (minus Pryz) but if Pryz was to remain, then we'd have a log jam.

Pfft. No he's not. What gives you that idea? He's a better rebounder, that's it.

 

[Minstrel]

Right now - today - Lee is better (all around) than LMA.

Based on what? Statistically, they're pretty similar. In terms of defense, which isn't well-encapsulated by statistics in my opinion, I'd much rather have Aldridge.

 

[alex42083]

David Lee is better than LaMarcus Aldridge? haha, that's a good one.

 

[Tortimer]

If LMA played for the Knicks he would have a lot better stats the he has now that is for sure. I also would say if LMA was a FA he would already have a great offer. There would be teams lining up to make LMA an offer. Lee isn't half the player LMA.

 

[Sinobas]

I agree with others that have said signing Lee would be in order to trade him. As we've learned, teams are not always eager to send talent out in exchange for cap space. We convert our $10 mil in cap space into the best FA asset available. We may even go into the season with a great backup PF, or perhaps even experiment with LA at the 3, but we'd be trying to trade him for another player.

I think a very nice fit would be Mike Miller. Washington needs a PF, and they have a plethora of wings. The salaries would match straight up.

 

[B-Roy]

That's probably the only scenario I could see where signing Lee would make some sense.

Right when Lee is eligible to be traded, you start shopping him and hopefully get something good by the deadline.

 

[BoomChakaLaka]

That's probably the only scenario I could see where signing Lee would make some sense.

Right when Lee is eligible to be traded, you start shopping him and hopefully get something good by the deadline.

This would all depend upon Oden's development over the first half of the season. If he is coming into his own, then you have GREAT trade-bait with Lee....and if Lee happens to be fitting in along with LMA and Oden in the front court - you have a VERY VALUABLE trade-bait in Pryz (come trade deadline). If the 4-player front court happens to be clicking, come the trade deadline - I would imagine that we'd be well in front in 1st place in the division and KP will have pulled off a coup!

So, I see no down side in bringing in Lee. [PS: I only said Lee was better "today" than LMA - but this does mean that I think LMA has a ton of more upside...even in a year!] But Lee, historically, has shown a much greater amount of hustle than LMA. LMA has been a tad 'soft' and I'm hoping (and believing) that he just might improve in this area. If he indeed does - then LMA is the stud PF of the league! To those suggesting any form of a trade involving LMA - you are crazy...or not patient enough.

In a nutshell: we offer Lee a front-loaded contract and hope the Knicks don't match. We utilize Travis and Blake (or even Travis and Bayless) and go after a PG in a S&T. Of Harris, Nate R., Andre Miller, Bibby, Sessions, etc. - I'm going to guess that New Jersey could consider Travis, Bayless and Picks for Harris. [sorry, I don't even consider Hinrich on my list]

Harris & Lee would make for a decent summer.


However, I still like earlier threads of Lee & Wallace (leaving us still without our guard) - but you gotta like that.