OT - The Knicks' secret weapon: The unlikely bonus

[SlyPokerDog]

"But I also wanted to call attention to one advantage the Knicks will have on their side this summer: The unlikely bonus.

Again, you can read more about this in the blog post on the ESPNNewYork site, but here is the gist of the unlikely bonus part:

Should Plan A fail, or should the Knicks go after one maximum salary player and two $8 million players, they will have one trick up their sleeve. Those two $8 million players would be able to sign contracts with $2 million bonuses for making the playoffs. In salary cap parlance, those are known as "unlikely" bonuses -- unlikely because the Knicks did not make the playoffs this season.

And it is to the Knicks' benefit that two of the other likely heavy hitters in free agency, Chicago and Miami, cannot offer playoff bonuses because that money would be considered "likely" to be earned, and thus would count against those teams' caps."

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/14992/the-knicks-secret-weapon-the-unlikely-bonus

 

[KingSpeed]

That's very interesting. I didn't know about it. Well, if they sign three quality players, they will make the playoffs in the East so that sounds like a great bargaining chip.

 

[Master Shake]

They can almost give out 3 max contracts I've read somewhere. That's pretty nuts, but I don't think LBJ, Bosh and Wade would just flock to NYC.

 

[Sug]

Cap space always turns teams around...

 

[speeds]

They can almost give out 3 max contracts I've read somewhere. That's pretty nuts, but I don't think LBJ, Bosh and Wade would just flock to NYC.

It would be pretty great, though.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I've been saying for 3 years at least two of those three players will end up playing together and I still think so. It'd be quite a formidable team. Especially if one adds Lee to the mix.

 

[Master Shake]

It would be pretty great, though.

Lol, not for Raptor fans. I would hate to see that. Plus I think it makes them look bad and frankly LeBron loves media to much to do that. If all 3 were on the same team in the NBA, it's pretty much an automatic Larry O'Brien trophy for the next 10 years.

Bosh needs to wait and see how the ping pong balls treat the Raptors and if it treats them to top 10, he should stay.

Secondly, I say Bosh will go somewhere else before NY anyway.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Lol, not for Raptor fans. I would hate to see that. Plus I think it makes them look bad and frankly LeBron loves media to much to do that. If all 3 were on the same team in the NBA, it's pretty much an automatic Larry O'Brien trophy for the next 10 years.

Yeah, at that point, I think I'd pack it in as a basketball fan.

 

[Master Shake]

Yeah, at that point, I think I'd pack it in as a basketball fan.

It wouldn't be fun if you weren't a Knick fan, and who wants to be that.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Yeah, at that point, I think I'd pack it in as a basketball fan.

Not necessarily. Many teams with three great players have failed to win a title at all. It wouldd certainly make them a darn good team, but there's only one basketball to go around no matter how many good plays a team has.

 

[speeds]

Can't really blame the Raps if (as Bill Simmons has suggested) those three had this planned out from the jump.

Dunno why it would make anyone bail on the NBA, though. They'd have to take a bit of a cut in pay to play there together, IIRC. Shows that they would value winning and friendship over money (though winning and NYC endorsements would make them richer than perhaps staying with their clubs and getting maxed-out).

 

[Master Shake]

But I just think it would be to damn easy for them. I wouldn't stop watching basketball because I would like to see that team go 71-1 and least. With that one loss coming on the road at the ACC.

 

[gatorpops]

But I just think it would be to damn easy for them. I wouldn't stop watching basketball because I would like to see that team go 71-1 and least. With that one loss coming on the road at the ACC.

Looking for a shortened season maybe? Or maybe the league concedes the title to NYC?

 

[Master Shake]

Looking for a shortened season maybe? Or maybe the league concedes the title to NYC?

Oops, nice catch.

81-1. Thank you

 

[hasoos]

That's nice and all but why would any player want to play on that losing team at this point? Most of the players they are after want to be on a competitive team, not a team that has been getting it's teeth kicked in by 50+ multiple times last season.

 

[Nikolokolus]

That's nice and all but why would any player want to play on that losing team at this point? Most of the players they are after want to be on a competitive team, not a team that has been getting it's teeth kicked in by 50+ multiple times last season.

I think you underestimate the egos of some of these guys. And if a couple of these max guys hatch a plan, to join together with the purpose of chasing titles you have to believe they don't look at New York's woeful record in the past decade as any kind of predictor of future success if they were on the team.

Put Lebron and Bosh on that team surrounded by even just mediocre talent and it's an instant top 4 team in the east, give them another year or two to add some MLE veterans that also want to win a title and I think by 2012 at the latest they are the favorite to win multiple championships.

 

[Masbee]

Not necessarily. Many teams with three great players have failed to win a title at all.

Name them.

 

[maxiep]

Cap space always turns teams around...

There's a big difference between Portland and New York.

 

[maxiep]

Name them.

My favorite team of all time: the 2003-04 L*kers with their coattail riding Mailman and Glove

Shaquille O'Neal
K*be Bryant
Karl Malone
Gary Payton

I don't think I've ever enjoyed a team going down in flames more than that one.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

The ironic thing is that the fact they utilize the unlikely bonus makes it likely that they make the playoffs.

 

[Minstrel]

I've been saying for 3 years at least two of those three players will end up playing together and I still think so. It'd be quite a formidable team. Especially if one adds Lee to the mix.

They can't add Lee to the mix, if they sign three expensive players. They have to renounce Lee (and exceptions like the MLE) in order to open up that cap space and then once they've signed those three players, they'll have no more cap room.

 

[KingSpeed]

Not necessarily. Many teams with three great players have failed to win a title at all. It wouldd certainly make them a darn good team, but there's only one basketball to go around no matter how many good plays a team has.

I never understand that logic. You need 5 players on the court. Why not the 5 best players? If Pierce/Allen/KG can win an instant title at their age like they did in 2008, then I think it's safe to say that LeBron/Wade/Bosh would win multiple titles. Name a team that had that much talent and didn't win the title.

To remind you, this year, LeBron is 1st in PER, Wade is 2nd in PER, and Bosh is 4th in PER.

 

[Minstrel]

I never understand that logic. You need 5 players on the court. Why not the 5 best players? If Pierce/Allen/KG can win an instant title at their age like they did in 2008, then I think it's safe to say that LeBron/Wade/Bosh would win multiple titles. Name a team that had that much talent and didn't win the title.

Jerry West, Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain would be in that general league, even if they weren't at their peaks.

They won a title the year after Baylor retired.

That said, I think a James/Wade/Bosh team would be quite, quite dominant. Perhaps as dominant as the Jordan/Pippen/Rodman team.

This isn't like putting three overlapping skillsets together. James, Wade and Bosh can each lay claim to a different part of the court. James can do plenty of work inside, Bosh in the high post and Wade as the perimeter slasher.

There is some overlap, since James can basically do everything but enough diversity that defenses can't overload any part of the floor and one or two of the stars will always have one-on-one match-ups.

Toss in a couple of good perimeter shooters and it's an offense that is essentially impossible to defense.

 

[Masbee]

My favorite team of all time: the 2003-04 L*kers with their coattail riding Mailman and Glove

Shaquille O'Neal
K*be Bryant
Karl Malone
Gary Payton

I don't think I've ever enjoyed a team going down in flames more than that one.

Well, that is ONE. Certainly not MANY.

However, many people forget some key points when they shit on that Hall-of-Fame team of carpetbaggers that "Failed".

Gary Payton had jumped the shark. He was way past prime - thus doesn't count in the equation.

Karl Malone was hurt in the playoffs, and didn't play in the deciding series games. And despite that they still almost got it done.

Example is FAIL.