The rumor mill has Isiah Thomas very interested in doing a sign and trade for Rashard Lewis, according to Newsday. Of course, that could just be a planted story, but the reality is this: One, Seattle is not keeping Lewis. They are stingy, they don't need Lewis with Durant likely to be their #2 pick (they are not trading the pick, either), Durant is cheaper than Lewis and potentially better, and the team is not creative enough to try a Ray Allen-Kevin Durant-Rashard Lewis lineup. So Lewis is not re-signing with the Sonics. Two, the Sonics would like to get something out of this, and by signing and trading Lewis they can get some compensation.
The typical cost for a sign and trade varies: For Peja Stojakovic a couple of seasons ago, the Hornets sent the Pacers the draft rights to Andrew Betts, and a $7.5 million trade exemption. For Joe Johnson, on the other hand, the Hawks gave up 2 #1 picks, Boris Diaw, and a $4.9 trade exemption.
There aren't that many teams interesting in trading for Lewis. He's a little pricey (probably looking at $70-75 million over 5 years) for a SF. That having been said, the skills and numbers are there. His eff was +21.33 last season, which is solid for a SF, and 23rd overall in the NBA. He's averaged over 20 ppg for the past three season, and last season averaged a career high of 22.4 ppg. He's a decent, but not good, rebounder for his position, averaging around 6 rpg. He's a good defender (especially on pass lanes, okay man-to-man defender). He doesn't turn the ball over much, and has good % for a shooter. He can also post smaller SF, and likes the mid-range game. He's Luol Deng (and we all know how much everyone loves Deng), if Deng was in his prime. Oh, and he's a great FT shooter, someone who can ice a game.
Do the Knicks need him? No, they have an inferior (but cheaper) version named Jamal Crawford. But Jamal is better suited to being a 6th man, not a starter. And Jamal is a Seattle area native. So perhaps if the Knicks were including him in the trade, and Lewis is the upgrade over Crawford... then I favor this deal.
Crawford's departure would allow the Knicks to move Quentin Richardson to starting SG, and Lewis as the starting SF. If the Knicks don't move Crawford, it's hard to see how they get enough minuted for Lewis, Richardson and Crawford, especially since all three are essentially the same - 3PT shooting perimeter players. The upgrade in defense from having Richardson at SG alone makes it worth the deal.
Getting rid of Crawford's salary can help offset signing Lewis. Let's say the Knicks offer Crawford and Frye to the Sonics for Lewis, and the Sonics accept, since that's a pretty decent offer for a player they aren't going to keep anyway, and I doubt any other team is going to offer much more in terms of value. Crawford's contract calls for another 4 seasons anyway, including $9.5 million in 09/10 and $10 million in 10/11.
The Knicks should take a page from the Bull's book, and sign Lewis to a declining annual value contract. They are over the cap for the next two seasons, anyway - why not hit Lewis off with $16.5 million next season, then $15.5 million. Come 09/10, when the first of back to back huge free agent classes hits, the Knicks are under the cap; therefore paying Lewis $14 million (replacing the $13.6 million the Knicks are committed to Frye and Crawford now) would keep the Knicks under the cap enough to be able to sign a major free agent. They can save some money by replacing Marbury at the point with Andre Miller, presuming the Knicks don't have a young point to replace Marbury by that time - who knows, maybe Mardy Collins will be ready, or maybe the Knicks will draft Taureen Green (from Florida) and he develops into the heir to Marbury. If not, Jason Kidd is also available that year. Iverson. Arenas. Even Bibby.
Then, paying Lewis $13 million in 10/11 (again, the Knicks will be even further under cap, with Jerome James and Richardson coming off the cap) meaning even more space to sign one of these potential free agents: Joe Johnson, Dirk, Josh Howard, Tracy McGrady, Jermaine O'Neal, Wade, Bosh, Chris Paul, Steve Nash, Ray Allen, Deron Williams, Andrew Bynum... you get the idea.
Bottom Line: I support doing a sign and trade with Seattle for Lewis if the Knicks are somehow getting rid of Crawford. If Seattle doesn't want him, then the Knicks have to stick to the plan and roll the dice with Crawford; they can't take on anymore perimeter-shooting swingmen on a team that has too many already.
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I think Lewis has also seen his stats go up, though he is 28 now and probably not a good bet to keep his numbers rising. He can score 50, though - I remember Lewis' 50 point game in Japan a few years back!
JG, you make a great point about passing to Curry. When Crawford was around, Curry was in the top-3 in alley-oop baskets, mainly because of Jamal's passing. No one on the Knicks can feed Curry as well as Crawford.
But I think Curry's decline/unhappiness after Crawford's injury can also be attributed to Francis taking JC's minutes. Francis is a over-dribbling no-pass until it is too late in the clock for Curry to make a move guard. Once Isiah cut Francis out of the picture a few weeks later, relying on Mardy Collins and others at the SG, Curry became a little more effective (remember his 40 point game in Milwaukee).
I think if Isiah can draft a point guard, or convince Marbury to keep feeding Curry (which he does pretty often), along with Lewis and Richardson also feeding the post (both are decent at interior passing to big men, though Lewis hasn't had a big man to work with in years), Curry might remain productive.
But the chemistry issue (JC is well liked in the locker room by most, including Isiah), and the willingness to finish games and quarters - Posting and Toasting had found a stat that mentioned that Jamal Crawford was among the best at end of game/quarter shooting% - would be missed.
Tough call. Again, if the Knicks do nothing this offseason but draft, I'm okay with that.
when does jamal's contract run out??? wud we have him during t he 2010 free agent splurge??
Hey JG,
Jamal is due $7.9 million in 07/08, and $8.6 million in 08/09. Then he has a player option for $9.3 million in 09/10, which also calls for $10 million in 10/11. Per the salary cap rules, player options can only be written into a contract every other year.
So Jamal can opt out after 08/09, but unless he improves over the next two years into a reliable 20 ppg type of player, I don't see him electing to opt out. Especially if his ankle isn't 100%.
I'm all for rashard, but i figure we might as well keep jamal, cuz i mean think about it...his numbers have been going up, he makes steph and eddy curry significantly better (i havent checked the sabrmetrics on that, though...) remember curry was less effective once j-craw was gone. plus jamal makes for exciting ass games anyway (could rashard get 55 and shoot like that at his best?!? lol), so i figure roll the dice