Briefing: May 24
Kemba Walker. Kawhi Leonard. Thinking of the summer.
Good Morning,
It was all good a year ago…
Moving on…
Kemba Walker made an All-NBA team so he is now eligible for a supermax extension with the Hornets for up to 5-years, $221 million.
What this means: This could make it more difficult for the Knicks to woo Kemba to New York this summer, given the Knicks want him and Charlotte is willing to actually offer the full supermax. The most the Knicks can offer Kemba this July is 4-years, $141 million.
Why would Kemba turn down the supermax, if offered it? If he is confident enough that he could sign a 2-year max deal this July as a bridge to a 5-year max deal when he is 30 years old, he could earn over $300 million in 7 years with the teams of his choice. That is $80 million more than the supermax, and it’s hard to believe he would make up that difference signing a new contract when the supermax expires and he is 34-35 years old. It’s just the gamble of getting there, and with Kemba, I am not so sure he should feel confident in expecting he could get a 5-year max in two years.
It comes down to timing. Kemba is eligible to earn 35% of the cap as a starting salary under the supermax rules from Charlotte this summer. He can only earn 30% of the cap signing somewhere else. However, in two years, when he is a 10+ year veteran, he would be eligible to sign for 35% of the cap, so he just needs to bridge the time to get there, and hope he stays healthy and productive enough to demand that amount.
This is why players like Anthony Davis are willing to pass up on the supermax extension. If you are a bona-fide top player in the league and believe you will remain that way well into your thirties, you can take the bridge deal and end up earning more money because the next contract comes due when you are still in your early 30s.
The Draft
Tacko Fall will likely workout with the Knicks in June. UCF Head Coach Johnny Dawkins had this to say about the prospect who might be a target for the Knicks in the second round:
“If you utilize him and you are creative with how you play him, you can disrupt games. And I think that is at any level because very few people are 7’7’’ with a 8’2’’ wing span. So you have to be creative. But if you are, you can have a lot of fun in ways you probably couldn’t even imagine.” [MSG Networks]
Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman
MUST LISTEN: Jon is joined by Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman for an in depth breakdown of likely Knicks draft pick RJ Barrett. They go through his potential fit on next year's team, both with and without stars on the roster, as well as weaknesses in his game, whether the Knicks should be concerned about them, how his mentality will translate to New York and much more. Wass also gives his thoughts on a possible Anthony Davis trade and whether any trade down scenario would make sense for the Knicks on draft night. [Google | iTunes]
After watching Kawhi’s performance
by Jonathan Macri
Boyyyyy o boy, was that impressive...
Winning a Game 5 on the road, after home court had been held through the first four games of the series, against a team that shot out to an 18-4 lead and hadn't lost three in a row all year? Count me as impressed.
Judging by my Twitter mentions, Knicks fans felt the same way. There's been a decent-sized contingent of the fan base all year who's been pining for New York to make Kawhi Leonard the Knicks' top target in free agency, and last night was a good reminder why. As Tommy Beer noted on Twitter, Leonard now has half of the best 14 playoff performances in the 24-year history of the Raptors organization...all in the span of six weeks.
He's not likely done yet. With Game 6 at home on Saturday night, Toronto is now five wins from a ring. I know Knick fans may be dreaming of him doing the same thing here as soon as next season, but the smart money says that a Finals birth for the Raptors is the last thing New York needs.
Here's how this plays out terribly:
Toronto makes the Finals and loses a hard-fought series to Golden State, or worse, wins (don't rule this out).
Masai Ujiri's pitch writes itself: we're already better than Milwaukee, who's probably about to lose at least one and maybe a couple key contributors in free agency, we already beat Philly, who likely won't keep their big four, Boston is a bit of a mess, and there are no other ready-made challengers on the horizon. We have more moves to make (dealing OG Anunoby, who's hurt right now but is really good, and future picks for more win-now talent). We know how to care for your body, and will keep playing you ~60-ish regular season games a season to preserve it. You'll be a legend here, and can join LeBron and Kareem as the only players to win Finals MVP's for multiple franchises. Also, we have Drake.
Kawhi takes the bait.
The Clippers - and their max cap slot that can easily become two if they move Danilo Gallinari's expiring contract - set their sights on KD.
Durant, wanting his own team in a major market, takes their pitch meeting that much more seriously.
Who the hell knows what happens next.
There are still a ton of different ways this could go. KD may already have his mind made up. So might Kawhi, for that matter. They may both be wearing blue and orange next season. Or one will.
Or neither. And as I've written many times, that would not be the end of the world (pending what New York then decides to do with its cap space, of course). But if we're sitting here rooting for outcomes, as great of a story as the Raptors are and as fun as it is to see Leonard back healthy and performing on the grandest stage, there's a part of me that really hopes Milwaukee comes back and takes this thing.
If not, New York's road back to relevance may be that much more difficult.
Remember when…
May 24, 1999: Knicks hold the Atlanta Hawks to 66 points in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, setting the mark for fewest points allowed in a Knicks playoff game, en route to a series-clinching 79-66 win at MSG.
May 24, 1994: Knicks open the Eastern Conference Finals with a 100-89 win over the Pacers at Madison Square Garden. Indiana cut the lead to two with 4:09 left, before Knicks close the game on a 15-6 run.
May 24, 1950: Knicks purchase the contract of center Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton from the Harlem Globetrotters.
Thanks for reading, talk to you on Monday!